Although vinyl siding has many advantages over wood and does not wear as easily, sometimes it can be cracked and might have to be replaced. Extreme weather conditions, such as strong winds, can even pull vinyl siding out. As it can be seen, there are many reasons by which we might have to repair cracked vinyl siding, and knowing how to do it ourselves can save us not only money but also time when done correctly.
Before you start repairing cracked vinyl siding, you should make sure you have all the necessary tools and elements for it. You will need to have a backsaw, a “zip tool" to separate the panels, a carpenter's square, polyurethane caulking, a new section of vinyl siding, and a utility knife. If you have all this before you start, the work will be easier and faster.
In some cases, when the cracks are small, you might be able to easily fix them without needing to remove the section and replace it with a new one. In these cases, all you will need to do is patch the crack with silicone caulking compound. But, many of the times, the cracks are too big to be properly fixed with that procedure and you will have to replace the section.
In order to replace a section of vinyl siding, you will have to start by unfastening the panel with the zip tool. Start unfastening the section placed right where the vinyl siding is damaged and lift it. Once that panel is lifted, you will be able to remove the nails that hold the section you need to replace. Hold the section in place while removing the nails, and trace straight lines at its ends with the help of a square.
With the help of a utility knife, cut the panel following the lines you traced and remove the damaged section. Next measure that section and cut a 2 inches longer piece from the new section. This new section should overlap about 1 inch on each end. After this, you will be ready to fit it into place and nail it. Once you are sure it is firmly nailed, you should make the lifted upper panel go down again with the help of the zip tool.
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