Maintenance for Fiber Cement Siding

When you are searching for a new, low maintenance, and long lasting siding option, cement fiber siding can often be your best choice. It may be slightly more expensive than other residential siding options, but will easily last for years, resists many different types of damage, and continues to look great year over year with only a small amount of maintenance necessary.

As an additional benefit, you can perform nearly all of the maintenance that cement fiber siding requires on your own with limited tools for maintenance that is affordable as well as easy.

Cement Fiber Siding Cleaning and Maintenance Steps

With its exposure to the elements, any siding is naturally going to collect some dirt over time. Unlike other siding options, cement fiber does not take damage from weather events like wind and hail, damage from termites, or get chips and dents from an impact. This decreases much of the maintenance you will have to do.

Instead, regular maintenance will be more about keeping your siding clean from naturally occurring dirt. Because your siding acts like a barrier, it can collect different types of dirt on the surface and some dirt may become trapped in the crevices of the wood texturing. This usually includes general dust, particle pollution, and living organisms like mold and algae. 

Different dust can make your siding look unclean, hurting the overall appearance and curb appeal of cement fiber siding that would otherwise make your house look beautiful. Some of this debris can also be corrosive in nature, so although cement fiber siding is extremely durable, it can become susceptible to pitting and other forms of damage if dust is left for too long.

To keep your home continuously looking its best, you should regularly use the following strategies:

• Wash Surfaces Once or Twice a Year – Depending on how much dirt your property regularly receives, plan to clean every 6 to 12 months. This process is as simple as spraying all surfaces down with a garden hose, which will release much of the dirt that has collected. For more stubborn spots, you can use a soft cloth with some dish soap to remove grease and a soft bristle brush to get into crevice crevices. Do not use any cleaners that are abrasive or acidic as these can damage this surface.
• Use Soft Water Pressure Washing – If a hose is not enough to remove dirt, pressure washing with a light pressure – under 1500psi – can help release dirt. Again, it is important to only use gentle cleaners and be extremely careful with the pressure washing to avoid any permanent damage. If you do not have previous experience with pressure washing siding, this can be a step best left to the professionals.
• Check Caulking – During installation, a contractor will often use silicone caulking or similar materials to join siding pieces and trim. Cement fiber siding is waterproof, but if the caulk deteriorates over time, it could let moisture behind your siding. Check on the joints occasionally to be sure everything is still in good condition. 
• Install Gutters and Downspouts – To further prevent moisture problems, be sure that you have gutters and downspouts in place to reliably direct water away from your siding during any storms.
• Cut Back Trees and Shrubs – Plants that directly touch your siding can be a source of dirt and deteriorate paint more quickly. You can reduce this risk by keeping all plants neat and away from siding.

The other important maintenance step that cement fiber siding requires is painting. In the Sacramento area, paint will often last up to 15 years, but it will inevitably fade over time, requiring you to repaint. This can be the most in depth maintenance step for cement fiber siding, whether you choose to do it yourself or hire a professional. But it does offer the benefit of enabling you to change the exterior of your home every decade without needing to install new siding.

If you are interested in upgrading your home siding to a low maintenance and attractive option, cement fiber siding might be the right option for your property. California Energy Consultant Service is a siding installation company in Sacramento that provides a certified installation of cement fiber siding from leading manufacturers.

With a specialization in energy efficient siding, we can help you determine if this siding or one of our other great options will provide the solution you need in terms of maintenance, energy performance, budget, and appearance. Learn more about our siding options by contacting us.