Whether you’re repairing damage or if you’re looking to give your home or business a new style, you may find yourself in the market for new siding. However, the time of year you decide to go about replacing siding can have a huge impact on the longevity and the cost of the overall project. Rather than go into construction blindly, here are some tips and advice for timing your project.
What to Know About Siding Replacement Beforehand
Before determining when to replace your home’s siding, it’s important to understand both the steps of installation as well as how various siding materials might impact the overall process.
Replacing siding begins with basic maintenance to ready your property. This includes clearing away breakable items, cutting your grass, and removing old siding. Before beginning construction, your contractor will review your walls to make sure they’re up to code, ensuring that your new siding will be correctly and safely installed. During this time, it’s also common to replace insulation. Finally, once the new siding is installed, if required, the contractor paints the new siding and begins project clean-up.
Additionally, different types of siding offer various advantages and disadvantages, ranging from price point to how often maintenance will need to be performed. Wood siding, for example, is easy to repair but difficult to install over the top of existing siding. It can reach higher costs quickly, with cedar shingles easily being the most expensive option. By contrast, metal siding is more affordable and comes in a variety of styles. Vinyl siding is much less expensive than either wood or metal, and it is a low-maintenance option. One downside is vinyl siding is prone to cracking in cold weather and is more fragile than wood or metal siding.
How the Chicagoland Seasons Impact Siding Replacement
When it comes time to replace your home’s siding, the time of year you choose to do it in can directly impact the entire process, from pricing to possible damage. Here are some of the things to look out for when choosing the right time to change your siding.
Spring
With milder temperatures than the earlier winter or the later summer, spring marks an excellent time to book a contractor to replace or repair your siding. However, it’s worth noting that spring’s rainy, damp weather poses a greater mold risk than it does at other times of the year. The time between March and June is the rainiest part of the year for Chicago, so proceed with caution.
Summer
Summer presents no shortage of complications if you’re looking to replace your home’s siding. The heat during the day can directly impact the siding installation process causing vinyl siding to expand which can lead to the vinyl cracking or breaking later in the year when cold weather sets in. Summer also tends to be a busier time for contractors and the cost of construction increases at the same rate as the demand for construction.
Fall
Fall is a more popular time of year for siding construction, and that’s with good reason. Many contractors aim to have their employees more active in these last remaining warm months of the year, so the price of siding installation frequently decreases in the autumn. Additionally, fall in Illinois sports both cooler temperatures and decreased rainfall, which makes them an ideal time to pursue installation. Between the lower temperatures and improved availability, autumn is an excellent time to schedule construction.
Winter
During the winter, siding replacement risks running up a high power bill as the lack of house wrap increases the power needed to warm your home. Additionally, the decreased sunlight and harsh weather conditions make it difficult for contractors to work on your home for long periods, making installation take longer and cost you more. What’s more, similar risks that apply to vinyl siding in the summer months can apply in the winter, too.
All in all, the best times to pursue new siding lie in the fall and spring; with milder weather and less risk of property damage, aim to update your home in between the peaks and valleys of temperature during the year. However, it’s important to remember that siding installation projects can be completed any time during the year, particularly after emergencies such as fires or storms.
Looking for New Residential or Commercial Siding Contractor?
If you’re looking to replace your siding, McMahon Services & Construction is here to help you any time of the year. Plan ahead when replacing your siding in 2022, and reach out to us today so that we can help you repair or replace siding both quickly and easily.
We offer construction, roofing, siding, and other repair services for the Chicago area, including Arlington Heights, Berwyn, Des Plaines, Evanston, Mount Prospect, Grayslake, Mundelein, Libertyville, Oak Park, Palatine, Wheaton, Naperville, Waukegan, Schaumburg, Skokie, and the surrounding Illinois service areas. We also offer free inspections and estimates to both commercial and residential customers. Contact us today to see what we can do for you!