A year of siding care on the island
Siding on Hilton Head Island deals with three things through the year: wind-driven rain, humidity and salt-laden coastal weather. Small problems, a cracked seam, a loose board, a gap at a window, let water behind the wall, and humid air keeps it there. This calendar lays out what to check and when, so problems are found while they're cheap to fix.
Spring: March to May
Spring is the time to get the walls ready for storm season.
- Walk around the house and look at every wall from the ground. Note loose, cracked or missing pieces.
- Check caulk at windows, doors and trim. Replace caulk that has cracked or pulled away.
- Look at kick-out flashing where a roof edge meets a wall. If it's missing, water runs down the wall instead of into the gutter.
- Clean gutters and make sure downspouts carry water away from the foundation.
- Trim shrubs and trees back from the walls.
- Book any repairs now, before storm season fills contractors' calendars.
Summer: June to August
Summer is humid. The nearest NOAA station, at Beaufort, counts about 1,966 hours a year with the wet-bulb temperature above 73°F, and about 3,464 hours above 67°F.
- Wash mildew off siding with a soft brush and a cleaner suited to the material; avoid high-pressure washing that forces water behind laps.
- Point irrigation away from the walls.
- Look for paint that's blistering or peeling on wood and fiber cement. It often means moisture behind it.
- After any big summer storm, walk the house again.
Fall: September to November
The busiest part of the tropical season runs into the fall.
- Before a named storm, secure anything that could blow into the walls: furniture, planters, grills.
- After a storm, check every wall. Beaufort's NOAA data lists a 50-year basic wind speed of 120 mph and a 100-year rainfall rate of 4.3 inches per hour. Wind that strong can lift laps, crack panels and pull trim loose.
- On low-lying lots, look at the bottom courses for water lines and debris damage. During Hurricane Matthew in 2016, the National Weather Service found storm surge reached more than 500 feet inland from the harbor at Harbour Town.
- Photograph any damage before repairs, for your insurer.
Winter: December to February
Winters are mild, with about 17 freeze-thaw cycles a year at Beaufort, which makes this a good season for repairs and repainting on dry days.
- Replace damaged boards or panels found in the fall.
- Repaint wood and fiber cement on dry, mild days, following the paint's temperature limits.
- Have a contractor open any area where you suspect water got behind the siding, and check the sheathing.
Every year
- Keep a record of repairs, paint dates and products used.
- Keep photos of each wall from the spring walk-around. They make storm damage easier to document.