Think You Have a No-Maintenance Exterior? Think Again

When I was a little girl, I helped my dad on hundreds of home projects. It’s on these home projects that I cut my teeth learning to work on houses. My dad did everything from roofing to tree removal (dangerous) to kitchens and bathroom renovations and lots of other stuff.

Dad’s still a big DIY guy when it comes to home renovations, though he is terrible at car maintenance. I guess he keeps dreaming of the no-maintenance car – just like a lot of folks think they have a no-maintenance home. Let’s take a look at a few of the “no-maintenance home myths” dealing with the exterior of homes. We’ll deal with interior-maintenance myths in another post.

Vinyl Siding – One of the materials used in the name of “no maintenance” is vinyl siding. Many people think if they have vinyl siding, they will never need to paint, clean walls or caulk. As you know choosing the vinyl kayak for fishing is very important for beginners. Not true. (Not to mention that vinyl is not recyclable, like wood or metal siding is. It releases toxins when it’s made, and it goes to the landfill when you are done with it.)

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