Most homeowners do a good job checking the roof after a storm. That makes sense. But under the radar, you siding also takes a serious beating and that can be very easy to miss. After inspecting homes across the Fox Valley and Greater Chicagoland for over 25 years, we can tell you that some of the worst siding damage we find is on homes where the owner had no idea anything was wrong.
If your in the Fox Valley and you're home has been hit by these storms this summer, here is what to look for.
What hail does to siding
Hail is the most common cause of siding storm damage we see across Naperville, Aurora, Batavia, St. Charles, and the Fox Valley. What it does depends on the size of the hail and what material it hits.
On vinyl siding, hail can leave dents, cracks, or in some cases can punch clean through the panel. Smaller hail on older vinyl might not crack it outright but can cause little stress fractures that fail down the road. On fiber cement like James Hardie, which we install and certify on homes throughout the area, hail can chip or crack the surface coating. James Hardie is more impact resistant than vinyl but not indestructible.
Hail damage is tricky because it's not always visible from the ground. You might walk around the house after a storm and think everything looks fine. But up close there are cracks, chips, and compromised spots letting water in every time it rains. That is exactly why, at D-Wing, we offer free post-storm inspections, we'll come right out to give you a free quote and let you know what's next.
What wind does to siding
High winds work differently than hail. Instead of impact damage, wind tends to find weak points - panels that were not fastened correctly, seams that have started to separate, caulking that has dried out. It finds those spots and pulls.
After a significant wind event you might notice panels that are bowed, lifted at the edges, or completely detached. But wind also does damage thats hard to see, it works behind loose panels and forces moisture into gaps that weren't there before the storm. Once water gets behind your siding regularly, the sheathing that's underneath starts to break down and the repair scope grows well beyond just replacing a few panels.
The same storm that damages your siding very often hits your roof at the same time - It's worth checking both after any significant weather event.
What a whole season of storms does over time
One bad storm might get your attention. But it's really the full impact of a season of storms that has the most effect. Every hit of hail, high wind event, or heavy rain that finds a small gap adds up over time.
Siding that was in decent shape at the start of summer can be genuinely compromised by the end of it - not because of one dramatic event but because of repeated exposure working on the same vulnerable spots. We have seen that pattern all across Chicagoland for the past 25 years.
Repair vs replacement
Not every storm damaged panel needs to be replaced. Here is how we approach that decision on every job.
If the damage is isolated to a few panels in one area, targeted repair usually makes sense. If it is spread across multiple sides of the house, replacement becomes the more practical and cost effective conversation. The age and condition of the existing siding matters a lot too. Material that is already near the end of its life and took storm damage on top of that is often better replaced than patched up.
Some siding materials hold up to storm damage better than others and that affects both what the repair looks like and what makes sense long term. As a James Hardie certified installer, fiber cement is what we recommend most often for homes throughout Chicagoland specifically because of how it handles repeated storm exposure compared to other materials. That said, quality vinyl installed correctly is a solid option too and there are plenty of situations where repair rather than replacement is the right call. We will always give you a straight answer on which one actually makes sense for your home.
Get it looked at before the next storm hits
Storm season in the Fox Valley is not over. If your siding took damage this summer and has not been looked at, now is the time.
D-Wing has been doing this work across Aurora, Naperville, Batavia, St. Charles, Geneva, and the surrounding area since 2001. We do free siding inspections and if there is damage worth documenting for an insurance claim, we can help walk you through that process too. Give us a call.
📞 (630) 556-8099 | Schedule your free siding inspection at dwingconstruction.com →
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