Mildenhall Roofers fits exterior cladding for homeowners in Soham, and this page is about what happens after installation - the simple upkeep that keeps cladding performing and avoids the next problem.
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Exterior cladding forms a protective outer skin over your walls, keeping out rain, reducing heat loss and giving the building a clean, consistent appearance. We fit timber, composite, fibre cement and metal cladding systems to homes across Soham and the surrounding area, including neighbouring towns and villages throughout this part of Cambridgeshire and into Suffolk.
The installation itself is only part of the story. A cladding system that is properly looked after will serve your home for decades. One that is ignored will develop problems - some minor, some expensive - that a modest amount of annual attention would have prevented.
Exterior cladding is not a fit-and-forget product, regardless of what some installers imply. Even low-maintenance composite and metal systems need periodic checks. The wall behind the cladding is not sealed from the outside world - there is a ventilated cavity that allows air movement, and that same cavity can allow debris, bird nesting material and standing water to accumulate if the base course or top course is not properly maintained.
The good news is that most cladding maintenance tasks are straightforward. None of them require scaffolding if you stay at ground level or work safely from a ladder on single-storey sections. The key is doing small things regularly rather than letting problems compound until they require a tradesperson to put right.
Once a year, ideally in early autumn before wet weather sets in, carry out a visual check of the whole cladding surface. You are looking for:
None of these checks require special knowledge. You are looking for anything that has changed since the last inspection. Photograph any areas of concern and describe them to us - in many cases a short site visit is all that is needed to decide whether action is necessary.
Most exterior cladding benefits from a wash down once a year. Algae, lichen and general traffic film build up on north-facing and shaded elevations faster than on those in full sun. A green or black film on the surface of the boards is not just cosmetic - on timber it can trap moisture and accelerate surface breakdown, and on composite boards it can become slippery and make future cleaning harder.
For most cladding types, a soft-bristle brush and warm soapy water is sufficient. Work from top to bottom so dirty water runs down over sections you have not yet cleaned. Rinse with clean water from a hose at low pressure. Do not use a pressure washer at high pressure on timber or composite boards - it can force water into joints, lift surface layers on composite material and drive water into end grain on timber. A low-pressure rinse is fine; a power wash is not.
Avoid bleach-based cleaners on composite cladding unless the manufacturer's technical data specifically permits them - some composite surface finishes are affected by strong alkalis. For stubborn algae, a proprietary exterior cladding cleaner diluted to the recommended ratio is safer and equally effective given a few minutes of dwell time.
Metal cladding can be cleaned with soapy water and a soft cloth. Pay attention to any areas where two different metals are in contact - dissimilar metal corrosion is slow but worth catching early if fixings or trim are a different metal to the panel.
Of all cladding materials, timber demands the most attention but rewards it well. Properly maintained timber cladding looks excellent and, in a well-ventilated installation, can last thirty years or more. The critical maintenance task is keeping the surface coating - paint or stain - intact.
When a painted or stained timber board starts to show bare wood through the coating, water can enter the surface. Once water is in the timber, it swells on wetting and shrinks on drying, which accelerates paint loss and eventually leads to splitting. The cost of repainting one or two boards is a fraction of the cost of replacing boards that have begun to degrade.
Check the paint or stain condition every spring. Pay particular attention to south-facing elevations (ultraviolet light degrades coatings fastest there) and to any horizontal surfaces or board ends where water can sit. End grain is the most vulnerable point on any timber board - if the installer sealed it properly at fitting, check that the sealant is still intact and apply fresh end-grain sealer if it is not.
Most exterior timber coatings need refreshing every three to five years, though this varies with the product and the exposure. Microporous stains generally last better than conventional paint on cladding because they allow the timber to breathe. If you are repainting yourself, always follow the manufacturer's preparation guidance - painting over failing paint without preparation produces a result that lasts a fraction as long.
Composite cladding is popular partly because it needs less maintenance than timber. That is true, but it does not mean zero maintenance. The main aftercare tasks are cleaning (as described above) and checking the fixing clips and any exposed fasteners annually.
Composite boards expand and contract more than timber across the temperature range from winter to summer. The clip systems used with most modern composite products are designed to accommodate this movement, but a clip that has worked loose or a board that has been incorrectly fixed face-on can develop a rattle or a raised edge over time. These are easy fixes if caught early - the board can usually be re-seated without replacing it.
Also check the drainage slots or channels at the base of any composite boarding system. These can collect debris and, if blocked, cause water to stand against the board surface rather than draining clear.
Fibre cement is one of the most durable exterior cladding materials available, but it does need its surface coating maintained. Fibre cement boards are factory-primed and usually arrive on site ready for painting. The coating protects the board from water absorption at the surface. If the paint breaks down and bare fibre cement is exposed to repeated wetting and drying, the board can eventually crack along its length.
Repaint fibre cement cladding before the existing coating shows bare material - a coat applied over sound but slightly faded paint bonds far better than one applied over flaking or degraded paint. Use a masonry or mineral silicate paint rated for exterior use; standard wood paint is not appropriate for fibre cement.
Some things should not be left until the next annual check. Call us promptly if you notice any of the following:
Early attention to any of these keeps a small repair small. Left for a season, water behind the cladding can damage battens, insulation and wall structure in a way that turns a straightforward board replacement into a much larger job.
Call us to arrange a cladding health check for your Soham property, or to discuss a new installation.
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Call any time. Calls are answered day and night and passed straight to our roofers.
