Vinyl Siding Takes the Hit From the Heat: How Do You Protect It?

In a huge statistic percentage of the country, vinyl siding is the number one material used to color the outside of a home. Of course it serves more than one purpose, but for those of us who merely keep up with it for appearance purposes, there are a few things we need to keep in mind to keep our vinyl siding safe. I found a few great tips from ehow.com about how we can take seven steps to keeping our vinyl happy and then I found a product that you can paint over your siding that will preserve it's color in the sun, heat and cold weather...it also helps prevent the growth of icky mildew or any other green colored bacteria that could discolor the outsides of our homes. Lori Lapierre said that the seven magical steps we can take to prevent from deteriorating our vinyl start with 1. Covering the vinyl siding whenever you are painting or staining near it, such as with a deck. This will protect the siding from splatters. 2. Keeping the heat sources, such as grills, and combustible materials, like leaves or paint-smeared rags, away from siding, which can melt quickly near heat. 3. Avoid spraying pesticides, insecticides and weed killers near the siding, as these can stain and cause discoloration. 4. Clean the siding annually with a pressure washer to remove mold and rust, both of which can damage siding. For particularly difficult spots of mold or rust, try using straight bleach or white vinegar to remove the majority of the stain before pressure washing. 5. Apply a sprayed vinyl restorer if yours has faded, or is covered with rust and mildew stains that will not clean. These often provide a barrier that resists additional weather-related damage. 6. Plant trees or bushes to keep direct sunlight away from the siding, such as on the south side of a house where it beats down all day. Sunlight fades and weakens siding over time, allowing it to crack and break. 7. Paint the vinyl siding, creating a weather barrier. This is specifically recommended for older siding that is already faded and will not clean, as vinyl siding is meant to be relatively maintenance-free. So a little bit of common sense, mixed with a bit of TLC and tip following will keep your house the same color as when it was first built...unless you start after it has already faded, in that case you will want to invest in the paint called Nansulate Vinyl Fresh, a waterborne latex-based clear coat for revitalizing aged vinyl siding and preserving new vinyl siding.

"The company says Vinyl Fresh increases insulation to save energy, requires less power washing for maintenance, prevents new siding from fading, and rejuvenates faded siding. The ready-to-use coating can be applied by brush, sprayer or roller and carries a five-year warranty. The Nansulate product line includes industrial, residential, agricultural and solar thermal insulation coatings." -durabilityanddesign.com