How this checklist is laid out
Rather than marching through the months, this checklist walks around the house part by part and notes when in the year each task fits. Pick one part per visit, or do the whole loop twice a year.
NOAA figures for Peterson AFB/Colorado Springs
NOAA's engineering weather data for Peterson AFB/Colorado Springs, elevation 6,172 feet, gives a 99% winter design temperature of 5°F and a 1% summer design temperature of 88°F, with a mean coincident wet-bulb temperature of 58°F. The same source counts about 0 hours in an average year with the wet-bulb temperature above 73°F, and about 1 hour above 67°F.
Sunny walls (late spring and late summer)
- Stand at the far edge of the yard and sight along each sunny wall; vinyl that waves or bulges has run out of room to move.
- Look for chalky residue on painted siding by rubbing a dark cloth across it. Heavy chalk means the finish is wearing.
- Check caulk on the sunny side first; sealant there tends to harden and split sooner.
- Note any spot where a window, glass door or shiny surface throws reflected light onto the siding.
- Keep grills and fire pits well away from the wall.
Shaded walls (early summer)
- Look behind shrubs and along north walls for green or dark growth, and wash it off with a soft brush, garden hose and a cleaner the siding maker allows.
- Keep pressure washers off siding; the jet can push water up behind laps.
- Trim plants so leaves sit well off the wall and air can pass.
- Clear spider webs and wasp nests from under laps and trim.
The base of the wall (spring thaw and late fall)
- Check that the lowest course keeps the clearance its maker lists above soil, mulch, patios and decks.
- Press the bottom boards and corner trim with a screwdriver; softness means water has been sitting there.
- Make sure each downspout empties well away from the foundation, and add an extension where it doesn't.
- In winter, avoid piling shoveled snow against the siding, and keep shovels and snow blowers from striking cold vinyl, which cracks more easily than warm.
- Move firewood, bins and stored lumber a short distance off the wall.
Windows, doors and openings (early fall)
- Look for staining or streaks running down from the corners of window and door heads, a hint that head flashing is missing or reversed.
- Replace split or pulled-away caulk with an exterior sealant rated for joint movement, applied within the label's temperature range.
- Seal around hose bibs, dryer vents, meters, cables and light fixtures.
- Drain outdoor faucets and store hoses before the first hard freeze.
- Inside, feel for drafts or damp spots near window frames on outside walls.
The roofline (spring and after leaf fall)
- Clean gutters and run water through each downspout.
- With binoculars, check soffit panels for gaps, sags or nests, and fascia for peeling paint or soft spots.
- Find every place a roof edge stops against a sidewall. A kick-out flashing there should steer water into the gutter.
- Watch for loose trim or a top course that has lifted from under the soffit.
After a strong storm, any month
- Walk each side of the house once it is safe and look for torn, cracked or missing pieces, loose corner posts and soffit.
- Photograph damage before moving anything: one wide shot per wall, then close-ups.
- Put a temporary cover over any exposed housewrap or sheathing.
- Keep broken pieces; they help with color and profile matching.
- Call your insurer before permanent repairs if you plan to file a claim.
A ladder rule
Keep this checklist on the ground or a short step stool. Second-story walls, the roofline and anything near the service wires belong to a crew with the right ladders and fall protection. Never lean a ladder on vinyl or a gutter without a stand-off.
When to ask for bids
Call for a professional look if you find soft or spongy boards, panels pulling away or rattling in wind, gaps that show the barrier, paint that fails in the same spot every year, or indoor stains that line up with an outside seam. When you request prices, ask the contractor which local permits the job needs and who pulls them, what state license, if any, covers the work, and for proof of liability coverage and workers' compensation.
Keep a wall-by-wall file
Make one page per part of the house: sunny walls, shaded walls, base, openings and roofline. Date each entry and add a photo. Record the siding brand, color and profile, keep a few spare pieces, and file invoices and warranty papers alongside. When a repair comes up, the right page already shows what is on the wall and what has been done to it.