Siding Repair in Wichita, KS

Common siding repairs around Wichita

• Blown-off or unzipped vinyl. Kansas wind gusts catch a loose panel and peel it off, sometimes taking the courses above with it. If the panels are intact they can often be re-hung; torn or lost panels are replaced.
• Cracked and holed vinyl. Mower and trimmer rocks, hail, baseballs and ladders crack vinyl, especially in cold weather when it is stiffer. A cracked panel is replaced, not patched, for a lasting repair.
• Hail dents and splits. Hail can dent steel and aluminum, crack vinyl and chip or crack the paint and edges of fiber cement and wood. See hail damage siding repair.
• Soft, swollen or rotted boards. Common on hardboard (pressed-wood) siding, T1-11 plywood panels and wood siding, especially near the ground, behind gutters and downspouts, under windows and around decks.
• Woodpecker and insect damage. Woodpeckers drill into wood and engineered siding, and occasionally vinyl. Carpenter ants and termites go after damp wood.
• Heat distortion. Vinyl near grills, or in the path of sunlight reflected from a neighbor's low-E windows, can warp. The fix is a new panel plus solving the heat source.
• Gaps, open seams and failed caulk. Around windows, doors, trim and corner boards. Small, but a common route for water.

Repair or replace?

A repair makes sense when the damage is limited to one area, matching material is available, and the wall underneath is sound. Replacement of a wall or the whole house starts to make more sense when damage is spread across several elevations, the siding is old and brittle so removing one panel breaks the next, the profile or color is discontinued, or there is moisture damage behind the siding. The guide to siding repair vs. replacement covers the decision in detail.

Matching old siding

The biggest challenge in siding repair is not the repair; it is making it disappear.

• Profile. Lap siding comes in different shapes (double 4-inch, double 5-inch, Dutch lap, beaded, board and batten, shakes). The new panel has to lock into the old ones.
• Color and fading. Even if the same product and color are still made, siding that has been in the Kansas sun for 15 years will have faded, so a brand-new panel can look darker. Some contractors take a panel from a less visible spot, such as behind a fence or inside a garage-side wall, use it on the front, and put the new piece where nobody will see it.
• Painted siding. Fiber cement, engineered wood and wood can be painted to match, which makes repairs easier to blend.
• Discontinued products. If your siding is no longer made, a salvage or close-match panel may work on a back wall; on a front elevation, replacing that whole wall is sometimes the only clean option.

Take a close photo of a panel (including the back edge if a piece has fallen off) and any markings, and include them when you talk to the contractor.

Check behind the siding

When a section of siding is opened up, it is the best chance to check the sheathing and the water-resistive barrier. Water stains, black or soft sheathing, or missing flashing above a window means the repair should include fixing the cause, not just the surface. Repairs around windows, doors and roof lines should include flashing, and kick-out flashing where a roof edge meets a wall.

Temporary protection until the repair

1. Photograph it first. Especially after a storm, take wide and close photos with the date before anything is moved. You may need them for an insurance claim.
2. Cover the opening. If panels are missing and the house wrap or sheathing is exposed, cover it with plastic sheeting or a tarp secured to the trim, not stapled through the siding you want to keep.
3. Collect loose pieces. Intact panels that blew off can often be reused, and they help with matching.
4. Do not pressure-wash damaged areas; that drives water behind the siding.

Lead paint and asbestos in older homes

If your home was built before 1978, painted siding and trim may contain lead paint. The EPA's Renovation, Repair and Painting rule requires firms that disturb more than a small amount of painted surface on those homes to be lead-safe certified and follow lead-safe work practices (EPA, Renovation, Repair and Painting (lead-safe) program). Some mid-century homes also have asbestos-cement siding, which should not be broken, sanded or drilled without the right precautions (EPA, protect your family from exposures to asbestos). See old asbestos and aluminum siding replacement.

Permits for repairs

In Wichita and other MABCD areas, siding repair or replacement of no more than 400 square feet in a 12-month period does not need a permit (Wichita-Sedgwick County Unified Building and Trade Code (permit exemptions)). Most single-wall or few-panel repairs fall under that, but larger storm repairs may not. Other cities have their own rules.

What repairs cost

Repairs range from a single replaced panel to rebuilding part of a wall. The siding repair section of the cost guide lists published national ranges by material. Many contractors have a minimum charge for small jobs, so if you have several small problems, have them quoted together.

How quote requests work

Send the form with your town, what happened and the type of siding if you know it. We will call you back to set up a free quote.

What does it cost? See published national ranges for siding repair in the siding cost guide. They are general industry estimates, not quotes.

Related guides

• How Long Does Siding Last in Kansas Weather?
• Siding Repair vs. Replacement: How to Decide
• 12 Signs It Is Time to Replace Your Siding
• Does Siding Need a Permit in Wichita?
• What Is T1-11 Siding? Problems, Repair and Replacement

Good to know: Requesting a quote is free and there is no obligation. Ask for a written quote that lists the material, the scope, permits and the warranty terms.