North Walsham Roofers fits and replaces exterior cladding for homeowners in Mundesley, and this page explains how to look after it properly once the work is done.
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Exterior cladding is a protective board system fitted over the outside of your walls. It keeps rain and frost away from the underlying structure, reduces air infiltration around frames and gives the property a clean, refreshed appearance. Installed correctly using timber, UPVC or composite boards, a cladding system should perform for many years with relatively little attention - but only if that attention is given at the right times.
In exposed coastal locations, properties are exposed to rain and wind off the sea. That exposure means the sealant joints, fixings and board surfaces take more punishment than they might on a sheltered inland property. Routine maintenance is not optional - it is what keeps a good installation performing as it should.
New cladding goes through a bedding-in period. Timber boards in particular will move slightly as they acclimatise to the outdoor environment. It is worth checking the sealant around window and door reveals at around the twelve-month mark. Any minor gaps that have opened up as the boards settle are straightforward to address at this stage; left for several years, the same gaps become a path for water ingress that can affect the wall beneath.
UPVC and composite boards are more dimensionally stable but the sealant joints still need checking. Any joint that has pulled away from the surface or developed a crack should be cut back and redone rather than painted over.
You do not need to climb a ladder to carry out a useful visual inspection. From the ground, walk the perimeter of the property after a period of heavy rain and look for:
Inside the property, damp patches on the internal wall surface or on the plasterwork behind the cladded elevation can also indicate a failure that is not yet visible from outside. If you spot any of these, get them looked at before the problem develops further.
Keeping cladding clean is more than cosmetic. Algae and lichen growth holds moisture against the board surface and accelerates deterioration, particularly on timber. On UPVC, a build-up of organic matter can stain the surface permanently if left for too long.
For UPVC cladding, washing with warm water and a mild detergent on a soft brush is effective and will not damage the surface. A diluted solution of white vinegar or a purpose-made UPVC cleaner can shift more stubborn staining. Avoid abrasive pads or solvents - they scratch or craze the surface, which then picks up dirt more readily.
Timber cladding should be brushed down and washed in the same way, but it also needs periodic repainting or re-staining to keep the protective finish intact. How often depends on the paint or stain system used and how exposed the elevation is. As a general guide, a painted timber elevation in a weather-exposed location will need attention regularly. Neglecting this does not just affect appearance - once the surface coating fails, moisture gets into the wood itself and rot follows relatively quickly.
Composite cladding is the least demanding to maintain. A wash once or twice a year to remove dirt and biological growth is typically all it needs. The surface does not need painting and is resistant to rot, though the sealant joints still need periodic checking.
Pressure washers should be used with caution on any cladding system. Too high a pressure can drive water behind the boards, damage UPVC surfaces and strip paint from timber. If you use one, keep the pressure low and direct the jet at a shallow angle down the face of the boards, never up underneath them.
Sealant joints are the most maintenance-intensive part of any cladding system and the most consequential when they fail. Around window frames, door frames, external corners, soffits and any pipe or cable penetrations, the sealant is the last line of defence against water finding a way behind the boards.
A good rule is to check sealant joints every two to three years. Look for cracking, shrinkage or any point where the sealant has pulled away from the surface it is bonded to. Where this has happened, the repair is straightforward: cut out the failed sealant cleanly, clean and dry the joint, apply a new bead of exterior-grade sealant and tool it smooth. Trying to apply new sealant over old failed sealant rarely works - the new layer will fail in the same place.
The base of a cladding installation is a point worth keeping an eye on. Ground-level boards are closest to rain splash from hard surfaces and need good drainage away from the wall to avoid prolonged moisture exposure. If soil or hard landscaping has built up against the base of the cladding over time, it is worth clearing it back so that the base of the boards can drain and dry out properly between wet spells.
Any debris - leaves, soil, compacted dirt - sitting in the gap between the cladding and a windowsill or at the bottom of a corner trim holds moisture and should be cleared regularly.
Some maintenance tasks are straightforward for a reasonably practical homeowner to carry out at ground level. Anything that involves working at height - re-fixing loose boards on an upper elevation, re-sealing around a first-floor window, or inspecting the condition of battens - should be left to a professional with proper access equipment. Working from a ladder on a cladding job is neither safe nor effective; you need both hands free to work properly.
If during a visual check you suspect moisture has got behind the boards, do not attempt to lift or remove boards yourself to investigate. Incorrect removal can damage the batten, the wall membrane behind (if one is present) and the boards themselves. A proper inspection by a roofer or cladding installer will tell you what has happened and what needs doing without causing additional damage.
North Walsham Roofers carries out new cladding installations and replacement work across Mundesley and the surrounding area. If your existing cladding needs a professional check, if you have spotted something you are not sure about, or if you are planning a new installation and want advice on the material and specification that will give you the least maintenance over the years ahead, call us to arrange a visit.
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Call any time. Calls are answered day and night and passed straight to our roofers.
