One of the most important parts of home maintenance is finding potential issues before they become serious problems, and a perfect example is the siding on your house. Too often the exterior of the house is ignored for more interesting projects, such as interior design and landscaping. Before you know it you're dealing with rising heating bills or find yourself faced with seriously damaged siding and an unplanned expense from your repairman. 

Here are 5 tell-tale signs that you should consider getting new siding before real damage happens to your home.

1. Siding is Showing Signs of Moisture Damage or Rot

Many people ignore siding issues until actual damage has taken place. Moisture damage and rot is one of the more common issues with siding and can often be prevented proactively by patching holes and just keeping an eye on the exterior of your house, particularly after a harsh storm.

Look over your home's siding and keep an eye out for bubbles under the siding. These bubbles are a common sign that water has somehow penetrated the siding and is trapped. This trapped moisture can quickly turn into rot. You should also keep an eye out for holes, cracks, and wildlife/insect damage, as these punctures in the siding face allow for water to get trapped.

If you have considerable bubbling or holes within the siding it's probably time to get all new siding. You may very well find that as the damaged siding is removed you'll realize that moisture damage has quickly spread under it. You should also consider getting new siding if you find mold, mildew or fungus growing within or under the siding. This is particularly true if you have holes in your siding along with mold.

2. You Have Been Slacking on Maintenance

While not an actual sign of damage, it is well worth considering new siding for your home if you're tired of dealing with regular maintenance of your current siding or brick. After all, it is better to opt for a more resilient siding than to skimp on proper maintenance and end up with a damage walls from neglect. Not cleaning your brick walls properly could lead to you needing to replace it with new brick or fresh siding. One excellent alternative siding material is fiber cement.

This type of siding is relatively care-free and reasonably priced considering how long it lasts. Compare some quotes from reputable fiber cement siding contractors and you may be surprised at how much you can save money by switching to this siding.

3. Peeling Paint or Peeling Wallpaper Inside the House

While it may seem backwards you can actually tell if you need new siding by how your interior walls are doing. If your interior walls start showing signs of damage there is a good chance it is because of bad siding.

When moisture gets under siding and into the walls the interior facing will be affected. This can present itself in a few forms, such as increased heating or cooling bills, feeling cold/drafts coming off walls or around electrical outlets, and by wallpaper or paint showing damage. If you or a professional properly painted or applied wallpaper yet you're now dealing with peeling you probably have moisture from failed siding.

This is a particularly troubling issue as you'll need to have a professional fix the interior as well as exterior. If you suspect this issue the first step is to replace the siding to ensure no more moisture gets in, and then fix the interior facing.

4. You're Adding an Addition to Your Home

Another great opportunity to change the siding of your house is if you're adding a new addition or extension. Many homeowners are concerned about matching new siding to existing siding, and though it is possible, it may be a better choice to get all new siding for a cohesive look as well as seamless installation.

The less seams in the siding, the better. Unless your current vinyl or wood siding is new your contractor may recommend residing the entire home. This will help ensure the best installation possible and a longer life for the siding. It also gives you a chance to consider a new type of siding.

5. Siding is Bulging Outwards or Otherwise Warped

Another important reason for regular visual inspections of siding is to spot warped siding as soon as possible. Simply just looking at the exterior walls isn't enough, as we often stand in the same spots when looking at the siding. This means our eyes may not catch bulging or bent boards.

Image Credits: NACHI.org

Really walk around your house and get different views of the siding. Stand next to the wall and look down the length of it. For example, vertical siding can easily hide the bulge outwards since the lines make it hard to see unless you look closely on the siding. Bulging and warped boards are a clear sign that some type of damage has taken place under them, requiring you to replace these areas or the entire face.

Always take the time to regularly walk around your house and ensure the siding is as it should be. Pay special attention to seams, along windows, doors and the roof. If you suspect damage you should have a professional come out and inspect it immediately. Even if you haven't had damage done to your existing siding, new siding can really increase the value and curb appeal of your home.