A Complete Guide for Minnesota Homeowners on When to Get New Siding

If you live in Minnesota, your siding is more than just a pretty thing. It is a very important part of your home's thermal envelope and the first line of defense against the harsh weather in our area. Your siding is always under stress because of the constant freeze-thaw cycles of our long winters and the strong sun and sudden hailstorms that have caused billions of dollars in damage. If you ignore these red flags, you could end up with a lot of costly and dangerous problems, such as water damage to the structure, mold growth all over the place, and a lot of lost energy.

Replacing your siding is a big job, but it's important to do it to protect your most valuable asset. This complete guide will show you how to carefully check the outside of your home and recognize the important signs that it's time to call in a professional and get new siding.

The Ultimate List of Siding Damage

Start your inspection by walking slowly around your whole house and looking closely at each wall. Pay close attention to the areas around windows, doors, and the foundation. These are common places where water damage starts. As you look at the outside, look for these signs that the siding is damaged.

1. Cracking, bending, and buckling

This is often one of the first and most obvious signs that the siding on your house is getting old. Different materials react to age and stress from the environment in different ways.

Vinyl siding is made of a type of plastic called vinyl that comes from oil. It is made to expand and contract with changes in temperature. It loses its ability to flex when it is not put together correctly or when a low-quality product is used. This causes cracks that can be seen, especially around nail heads, or panels that are coming loose from the wall. Vinyl can bend, warp, or sag in places where it gets a lot of sun, making it look wavy. Also, old vinyl is very brittle, so it can easily crack when it gets hit by hail or other things in the winter in Minnesota.
Wood Siding: Wood is a natural material, so it is especially sensitive to moisture and changes in humidity. Find boards that are obviously warped, cupped, or have split along the grain. These signs mean that water has gotten into the wood, making it swell and shrink in strange ways. If you see cracks or splits, the siding is no longer a solid barrier against the weather.
Fiber Cement Siding: Fiber cement is extremely durable, but it's not invincible. Over time, hairline cracks can form, especially where panels meet or around nail holes. These cracks are small, but they let water into the siding's core, which will hurt its long-term performance.

2. Mold and rot: the quiet killers

The most dangerous thing for your home's structure is moisture, and when siding fails, it lets water in.

Rot in Wood Siding: Rot is a kind of decay that happens when fungi grow in wet conditions. It is a big problem for siding made of wood. To see if something is rotting, use a screwdriver to gently poke around in any spots that look off or have a lot of color. If the wood feels soft or spongy or breaks apart easily, it is definitely rotting. This rot can spread quickly, putting your home's walls and even its framework at risk. You're not just putting new siding on; you're also often looking at big, costly repairs to the structure.
Mold and mildew: Mold and mildew on the surface of your siding might only be a cosmetic problem that can be power-washed away, but they could also be a sign of a bigger, more serious problem. If you see a lot of black, green, or white growth, it could mean that water is getting behind the panels all the time. If you find mold on the inside walls of your home, it's almost certain that your siding has failed, letting water soak into the wall cavity. This kind of damage is very bad for your health, especially if you have breathing problems.
Even on vinyl or metal siding, mold or mildew on the surface or on the sheathing underneath can mean that water is getting behind the panels. This is a very important problem that professional siding contractors know how to find.

3. Color that has faded, peeled, or chipped

The color of your siding has a big effect on how your home looks from the street and how much it is worth. On some materials, it's just a cosmetic issue, but on others, it means that the protective layer has failed.

Peeling Paint: If your painted wood or engineered wood siding has paint that is peeling or bubbling, it means that the paint is no longer sticking to the surface, which means that the material underneath is exposed to the weather. This will cause things to break down quickly and need to be painted over and over again, which costs a lot of money. If you paint every few years, it might be a sign that it's cheaper to replace the siding instead of just painting it.
Too Much Fading: The sun's UV rays are strong, and they make colors fade over time. All siding will fade over time, but too much or uneven fading can make a house look old and neglected. This is especially true for darker colors of vinyl siding. Once the color fades, it can't be brought back, and the only way to get a bright look back is to replace the whole thing.

4. Bubbling and peeling

This is a clear and unmistakable sign that the siding is failing, especially with engineered wood products. When the layers of the composite material start to come apart, this is called delamination. This happens when water gets into the core and breaks down the resins that hold the wood strands together. If the surface is bubbling or blistering, that is another sign that moisture is trapped. This means that your siding is no longer a good barrier and has lost its strength. The only way to stop more damage is to replace everything.

5. Damage from pests like woodpeckers

Animals in Minnesota can also damage the outside of your home. There are two main reasons why woodpeckers are attracted to siding: they are looking for a place to hide or, more often, they are eating bugs that have gotten under the sheathing. Not only do the holes they make look bad, but they also let moisture in, which speeds up rot and decay even more. This happens a lot with wood and engineered wood siding, and they are good places to go for more information about woodpecker behavior and how to get rid of them.

6. Bills for Energy That Are Too High

If your heating and cooling costs go up suddenly and for no clear reason, it could be a sign that your siding is failing. By keeping air from leaking out and protecting your insulation, your siding is an important part of how well your home keeps heat in. When siding is cracked, warped, or has holes, it lets cold air in in the winter and hot air in in the summer. Also, if moisture gets into the wall cavity and soaks your insulation, the insulation loses its R-value (R-value is a measure of how well a material resists heat flow) and stops working completely. This means that you are literally throwing money away on utilities that are leaking out of your walls.

The Dangers of Not Fixing Siding Problems

No homeowner should ignore the signs that their siding is failing. The effects go far beyond how things look:

Damage to the Structure: Water that gets behind your siding can rot the wooden sheathing and framing, making your home's structure weaker. This can cause walls to sag, floors to be uneven, and big, costly repairs.
Damage to the inside: Water can get through the walls and hurt your drywall, paint, and floors. It can also make a place for toxic black mold to grow, which is very bad for your health.
Lower Home Value: Old, broken siding is a big turn-off for potential buyers and makes your home look less appealing from the street. A bad outside will not only make it harder to sell your home, but it will also lower its market value by a lot.

What to Do Next: A Smart Way for Minnesota Homeowners to Move Forward

If you see any of the signs on this list in your home, you should call a professional siding contractor to come and look at it for free. They can figure out how bad the damage is, what caused it, and the best way to fix it for your home. You might only need a small repair, but a full replacement is often the best and most cost-effective way to protect your home for years to come.

When you think about what to do next, remember that Minnesota has rules about how to put up siding. The law says that all new siding must have a weather-resistant barrier behind it, that windows and doors must have the right flashing, and that fasteners must not rust. This is a crucial step in ensuring your home is protected from our unique climate. A licensed professional will ensure your new siding is installed correctly and to code, guaranteeing the full manufacturer's warranty. You can find out more about these rules on . offers historical climate data for the Twin Cities if you want to learn more about how the weather works in our state.

What siding failure really costs

Don't let a small problem get worse and cost you a lot of money. If you don't fix your siding, it could cause a lot of rot in the framing of your home and even mold that is harmful to your health. This would be a very dangerous and costly situation that is much worse than the cost of putting up new siding. You are not only making your home look better from the street, but you are also protecting your family's health and your most valuable asset by being proactive.