Is Seamless Polymer Siding REALLY Maintenance-Free?

Here’s the Truth.

When you see an ad for a unique product, how easily do you believe the hype?

If you’re the type of person who needs proof, you’re probably someone who carefully considers major purchases and looks for the one product that will solve your problems.

If you’re shopping for new siding, you might be frustrated with the upkeep your current home exterior requires. You’ve learned that the initial house siding cost isn’t the full price of the upgrade; maintenance costs money, too, and plenty of time.

So, if you’ve heard seamless polymer siding is 100% maintenance-free, you’re probably wondering whether that’s entirely true.

Let’s explore what “maintenance-free” siding really means and whether that definition applies to seamless polymer siding.

First, What Does Maintenance Mean?

The dictionary definition is clear: “the process of preserving something.” Some people confuse maintenance with repair, but there’s a distinct difference between the two.

The process of repairing requires you to restore functionality, but with maintenance, that functionality was never lost.

Common maintenance tasks for preserving – or maintaining – siding can include:

Painting.
Caulking.
Cleaning.

Does Seamless Polymer Siding Require Painting?

Traditional wood siding requires painting every 10 years. Paint helps seal porous wood, so repainting your home is an act of preservation.

You also might need to repaint metal siding that has faded over the years, an act of preserving its color vibrancy.

But do you ever need to paint seamless polymer siding? Not at all.

Seamless polymer siding doesn’t fade more than 2% over a 10-year period, which means any fading your siding may experience isn’t noticeable at all, unlike other siding materials. With polymer siding, your home looks as good as it did the day your new siding was installed, even years later.

Does Seamless Polymer Siding Require Caulking?

Siding materials like engineered wood or cement board require silicone or silicone-latex caulking at every seam to ensure it’s as watertight as possible. Over time, caulk begins to break down. This can create small gaps through which rainwater can travel and enter your home.

Once water infiltrates your house, it can cause mold, mildew, and moisture damage. Mold and mildew can worsen allergies, cause long-term fatigue and headaches, and other serious symptoms.

Even if you were to recaulk your wood or cement board siding, the mold and mildew have already made its way inside. The only solution is costly abatement, in which professionals remove portions of your drywall, flooring, ceiling, or other affected areas to get rid of the mold.

Seamless polymer siding doesn’t have any seams. Each plank of siding stretches from corner to corner of your home, so you never need caulk between them.

Do You Need to Clean Seamless Polymer Siding?

Certain siding materials can develop mildew. If you notice discoloration that looks similar to mold on the exterior of your home, you likely have a mildew issue. It’s a problem that requires you to take action to prevent damage to your home.

To remove mildew, you’ll need to mix three parts of distilled white vinegar and seven parts of water. Then, use a soft-bristled brush or cloth to wipe it away. If your vinegar solution isn’t powerful enough, you may need to try one part oxygen bleach and 16 parts water.

Cleaning your siding by hand is a big job, even if you have an average-sized house! It’s a time-consuming task.

Because seamless polymer siding resists mildew, you won’t need to scrub your siding to make it look its best. If you choose, you can rinse your siding with a garden hose to remove any surface-level dust or dirt blown onto it from the wind – no special tools or ladders required.

The Final Verdict

Seamless polymer siding is, in fact, maintenance-free by the true definition of the word. It does not need painting, caulking, or in-depth cleaning to look and perform its best.

When you choose seamless polymer siding, your house siding cost is exactly what the number on the estimate says it is. You don’t need to factor in maintenance expenses and hours of your time over the course of homeownership.

It begs the question: What will you do with your new-found free time?