Repair or replace your siding?

Siding takes the weather the roof does not: wind-driven rain, hail from the side and years of sun. Here is how to tell a repair from a replacement.

Usually a repair

• A few cracked or dented panels.
• A small patch of loose or missing pieces after a wind storm.
• Gaps in the caulking around windows and trim.

Usually a replacement

• Damage spread across several walls, as after a hail storm.
• Warped, buckled or faded panels that no longer match anything new.
• Soft or rotting sheathing behind the siding.

If a storm damaged the roof, check the siding too. One inspection can look at both.