Peterson AFB/Colorado Springs in NOAA's tables
NOAA's engineering weather data lists a station at Peterson AFB/Colorado Springs, at an elevation of 6,172 feet. Its published values include a 1% summer design temperature of 88°F with a mean coincident wet-bulb temperature of 58°F, and a 99% winter design temperature of 5°F. For the same station, NOAA counts about 0 hours in an average year with the wet-bulb temperature above 73°F, and about 1 hour above 67°F.
Those are the station's figures as NOAA prints them.
A local fact, for the record: drinking water
Colorado Springs Utilities says the city is not near a river or other major body of water. Most of its water is high-country snowmelt from along the Continental Divide, carried through tunnels and pipes by a delivery system that stretches more than 100 miles into the mountains.
Repair, partial or full replacement?
Before calling anyone, decide what you are actually asking for, because each choice gets priced differently.
- Spot repair suits a few cracked or loose pieces on otherwise sound walls. The catch is matching: a discontinued profile or a faded color can make new pieces stand out.
- One elevation is an option when a single side has taken the wear. Ask whether the contractor can blend the corners where old meets new.
- Full replacement opens every wall, which lets the crew inspect sheathing, renew the barrier and redo flashing at every window.
- Over-cladding, putting new siding over old, saves tear-off cost but hides whatever is wrong underneath and changes the depth at every window and door. Ask any contractor who suggests it to explain how trim and flashing will be handled.
Write down which of these you want and hand the same note to each company, so the prices you get describe the same job.
Color, sun and the south and west walls
As general siding advice, the walls that take the most direct sun tend to fade, chalk or warp before the others. A few questions help:
- Is the color you want approved for this product, and does the warranty cover fading? Get the fade terms in writing.
- For vinyl, does the maker restrict dark colors, or offer a heat-resistant formula for them?
- For painted fiber cement or wood, is the finish factory-applied or brushed on site, and what does each come with?
- Will windows on a neighbor's house or a low-E glass door reflect sun onto your siding? Reflected heat can distort vinyl.
Joints that can move
Any cladding expands in heat and contracts in cold, and the joint details decide whether that movement is harmless. Vinyl must hang on its fasteners with a little slack and with clearance at corner posts and channels. Fiber cement needs the butt-joint treatment its maker names, a flashing strip or a set gap. Wood and engineered boards swell and shrink with moisture as well as temperature, so sealing every face and every cut end matters. Sealants are rated by how far a joint can move; ask which one is specified and why.
Cladding options
If low upkeep comes first, vinyl and some steel panels need washing more than painting. Thicker vinyl and insulated-backed panels shrug off knocks better than thin ones.
If you want a painted look that lasts, fiber cement holds paint well and does not rot. It is heavy and dusty to cut, so ask how the crew controls dust.
If you want real wood, cedar or other lap siding can be repaired one board at a time and needs a regular paint or stain cycle.
If weight and handling matter, engineered wood is lighter than fiber cement, with the condition that field cuts are sealed and the bottom edge stays clear of soil and roofs.
Whatever you choose, ask for the maker's printed installation instructions and a line in the contract saying the crew will follow them. Product warranties can depend on it.
Soffit, fascia and the roofline
The top of the wall is easy to overlook in an estimate. Ask whether soffit and fascia are part of the price, whether old wood fascia will be wrapped in metal or replaced, and how vented soffit panels will keep the attic breathing. Gutters usually come down for a re-side; confirm who rehangs them, and check that the price covers kick-out flashing where a roof edge meets a sidewall.
The permit question
Ask the contractor which local permits the job needs. Follow up with each company: which permits does this job need, and who pulls them? Ask what state license, if any, covers the work, and what the number is. Ask for proof of liability coverage and workers' compensation before anyone climbs a ladder; your own insurer can help you read it. And ask whether their own employees will do the work or a subcontractor.
The contract
A contract worth signing spells out the scope you wrote down earlier, the product, profile, thickness and color, the barrier and flashing, trim and soffit work, a unit price for any rotten sheathing found, permits, gutter handling, cleanup and nail sweeps, start and finish dates, the deposit and payment steps, and both the product warranty and the workmanship warranty. Read it once more the night before you sign.