Siding upkeep on the Space Coast
Siding here faces three steady threats: storms, moisture and insects. NOAA's engineering weather data for Melbourne, Palm Bay's northern neighbor, shows a 50-year basic wind speed of 140 mph, a 100-year rainfall rate of 4.5 inches per hour and about 3,244 hours a year with the wet-bulb temperature above 73°F. This checklist spreads the work over the year so nothing gets missed before hurricane season.
December to February: wash and inspect
The dry, mild months are the best time to work on walls.
- Wash the siding with a soft brush and a cleaner made for your siding type. Rinse from the top down. Skip high-pressure washing, which drives water behind laps and joints.
- Treat mildew on shaded walls before it stains.
- Look closely at caulk joints around windows, doors, hose bibs and light fixtures. Replace cracked or pulled caulk with a sealant rated for your siding.
- Check paint on wood trim. Peeling paint lets water into the wood.
March to May: the foundation line
Spring is swarm season for many termites. A University of Florida study published in February 2026 found that the Formosan subterranean termite is established in most of Florida's coastal counties and still spreading.
- Keep soil and mulch below the bottom edge of siding and trim. Siding that touches the ground is an open door for termites and moisture.
- Look for mud tubes on the foundation and for soft or hollow-sounding trim.
- Move firewood, lumber and stored boxes away from the walls.
- Have a pest professional inspect if you see swarmers or wings on windowsills.
May: before hurricane season
- Check soffits and fascia. Loose soffit panels and vents let wind and rain into the attic.
- Tighten or replace loose siding pieces and missing trim now, when contractors can schedule them.
- Photograph every wall of the house. Before pictures make an insurance claim much easier.
- Trim branches that touch or overhang the house.
June to November: hurricane season
- Clear the yard of anything that could become a projectile.
- After any storm, walk around the house and look for cracked, missing or lifted siding, damaged soffits and dented trim. Look at the ground for pieces that blew off.
- Look inside too. Stains on interior walls or ceilings after wind-driven rain can mean water is getting behind the siding.
- Make temporary repairs to keep water out, and photograph damage before and after.
Any time: signs to call a pro
- Siding that bulges, ripples or sounds soft when pressed.
- Gaps at window and door trim.
- Paint that keeps blistering in the same spot.
- Musty smells in rooms on one side of the house.
Repairing storm damage
- Ask for a match first. Replacing a few damaged pieces is far cheaper than a full wall, if the product and color are still made. Bring the original product details to every quote.
- Ask about the wind rating of any replacement product. With a 50-year basic wind speed of 140 mph at Melbourne, a weaker product patched into a wall becomes the next weak spot.
- Check the layer underneath. If the barrier or sheathing behind the damaged pieces got wet, ask that it be dried or replaced before new siding goes on.
Keep the records
Keep the product name, color, install date, warranty and contractor information. Matching a discontinued color after storm damage is much easier with the original product details.