Moisture is the long-term enemy
Siding is the rain screen for the walls, and its job in Fayetteville is to keep water out in a humid climate. NOAA counts about 768 hours in an average year when Drake Field's wet-bulb temperature is above 73°F. Humid air and wind-driven rain both test the layers behind the siding, not just the siding itself. The details that decide whether a wall stays dry are the weather-resistive barrier, flashing at windows and doors, kick-out flashing where a roof meets a wall, and a gap or drainage plane that lets water that gets behind the siding drain out. Ask the contractor to walk you through each of those on your house.
Freeze-thaw and material choice
NOAA lists an average of 62 freeze-thaw cycles a year at Drake Field. Materials that absorb water, such as some wood products and poorly sealed fiber cement edges, can be damaged when that water freezes. Fiber cement needs its cut edges sealed and its clearances to roofs and grade respected. Vinyl must be hung loosely enough to expand and contract with temperature swings; nailed tight, it buckles in summer. Engineered wood needs its edges primed. Ask how the installer follows the manufacturer's instructions for your chosen product, because warranties often depend on them.
Hail and storm damage
Severe storms reach this area. On March 23, 2016, an EF2 tornado crossed Washington County, and the same storms dropped 0.75-inch hail just west-northwest of Fayetteville. Hail can crack vinyl, chip fiber cement and dent aluminum and steel siding. After a storm, walk around the house and look closely at the side facing the storm's direction, then photograph damage before contacting your insurer. Ask the contractor whether matching replacement pieces are available for your existing siding, since a partial repair that doesn't match can become an insurance discussion.
The license rule
In Arkansas, work on a single-family home costing more than $2,000 in labor and materials needs a license from the state Contractors Licensing Board; a home improvement license is for specialty work. Most siding jobs cross that threshold. Ask for the license number and look it up on the board's search before signing.
Questions for the quote
- What weather-resistive barrier and flashing tapes will be used, and will rotten sheathing be replaced at a stated price?
- How will windows and doors be flashed and trimmed?
- Will insulation board be added, and how does that change trim depth at windows?
- How will the crew protect landscaping, and who hauls away the old siding?
- What are the manufacturer and workmanship warranties, in writing?
A good siding contractor will show you how water gets out of the wall, not just how the siding looks from the street.