The Flint/Bishop wet-bulb record
For the Flint/Bishop station, NOAA's engineering weather data counts about 172 hours in an average year when the wet-bulb temperature is above 73°F, and about 789 hours when it is above 67°F. Both counts are the station's, quoted as NOAA lists them.
What to carry on each lap of the house
This checklist runs from the end of winter around to the next one. Each round of checks goes faster with the same few things in hand:
- your phone, for photos taken from the same corners every time, so a change is easy to spot;
- a pair of binoculars for second-floor walls, gable ends and soffit;
- a flashlight for porch ceilings, the shade under eaves and the gap beneath a deck;
- a blunt screwdriver to press lightly on trim and the lowest course;
- a soft brush on a pole and a garden hose with an adjustable nozzle;
- a caulk gun, a tube of exterior sealant and a utility knife;
- a notebook, or a running note on your phone, with the date at the top of each entry.
The thaw lap
- Once the ground near the foundation is clear, go all the way around the house.
- Check the lowest courses for pieces that cracked, bowed or slipped out of their locks.
- Look at corner posts and the trim along the base for joints that opened.
- Wherever snow sat piled against a wall, look for swelling, staining or lifting paint.
- Note any place meltwater stood against the foundation, for regrading or a downspout extension later.
- Press the screwdriver gently into wood trim close to the ground; trim that gives under light pressure deserves a closer look.
Spring: water paths
- Clear the gutters and run a hose into each downspout to see that it drains freely.
- Turn every downspout outlet away from the foundation, adding a splash block or extension where needed.
- Rake soil and mulch back so the bottom course keeps the clearance its maker lists.
- Aim sprinkler heads so the spray falls on beds and lawn instead of the wall.
- Watch, from a window or doorway, where water spills over the gutters during a hard shower.
Early summer: growth and airflow
- Look over north-facing walls and the areas behind shrubs for green or dark growth.
- Wash those patches with a soft brush, the garden hose and a cleaner the siding maker approves, then rinse.
- Skip the pressure washer; a strong jet can force water up behind the laps.
- Cut back plants and vines so air can move between the leaves and the wall.
- Clear wasp nests and webs from under laps and the soffit edge.
Midsummer: heat and paint
- On sunny walls, check vinyl for waves or panels pinched tight at the ends.
- Keep grills, fire pits and patio heaters well back from the siding.
- Look for paint that chalks, blisters or fades, and note which walls show it first.
- Before repainting, read the temperature and humidity limits on the paint label and plan around them.
- Peek behind shutters, downspouts and mounted fixtures for trapped debris or staining.
Autumn: sealing gaps
- Replace cracked caulk at window and door trim, hose faucets, vents and light fixtures with a sealant rated for the materials it joins.
- Clean the gutters again once the leaves are down.
- Move firewood and stored items away from the wall before the cold months.
- Check soffit vents and fascia for openings where birds, wasps or rodents could get in.
- On a breezy day, listen for rattling panels and refasten loose ones before winter.
- Drain outdoor faucets and put hoses away.
Winter: watching from indoors
- When you clear walks and the driveway, pile snow away from the siding.
- If ice builds up along the eaves, note where; meltwater from it can find its way behind a wall.
- From inside, look for new stains on walls and ceilings below windows.
- Leave ladder work for drier, warmer days and write down anything you spot for the thaw lap.
The walk after a storm
- Once the wind has dropped, circle the house and look for panels that lifted, cracked or went missing, starting at corners and gable ends.
- Photograph any damage before anything is moved, first a wide shot of each wall, then close-ups.
- Collect loose pieces from the yard; they help a crew match the profile and color.
- If the barrier or sheathing is exposed, cover it from the ground with a tarp if you can reach it without a ladder, and call for repairs.
- Phone your insurer before permanent repairs if you plan to file a claim.
Jobs to leave to a crew
Work above the first floor, anything near the service wires, repairs that mean unlocking a wide run of panels, replacing rotted sheathing or framing, and reflashing a window or a roof-to-wall joint all belong with a crew that has staging and fall protection. If a ladder has to rest near vinyl siding or a gutter, use a stand-off.
Asking for prices
When the list grows past small fixes, get written prices and ask each contractor:
- What state license or registration, if any, covers this work, and what is the number?
- Which local permits does the repair need, and who applies for them?
- Can you show proof of liability coverage and workers' compensation?
- Will the new pieces match what is already on the wall, and what happens if they don't?
- What warranty covers the repair, in writing?
A wall log
Keep one log for the outside of the house: the siding product and color, where spare pieces are stored, the date and findings of each lap, the sealant and paint used, and every repair with the contractor's name and the price. When a problem comes back in the same spot, the log shows the history.