Q. My house's board siding is getting old. I have to re-paint it every 3 years. I am thinking if it is a good idea to install a vinyl siding, but do I have to pull off the old board sidings or can I install the vinyl siding on top of board siding? Some contractors say they have to pull off the old ones first, some says it is not necessary.

A. Yes, you can install vinyl siding over old siding, unless there's mold or other factors. Be sure the old stuff is securely fastened to the studs or underlayment, and pop chalk lines so you know where the studs are, for proper nailing off of the new siding.

Q. My fiancee and I just moved in together at her home. The plan is to fix it up and probably move within the next 1-3 years. She thinks that Vinyl siding is the way to go, but I think since the chances are we will be selling the house that I should just paint it myself. We got an estimate for 17k for the vinyl siding and she seems to think that we will get all or most of that back in the resale value of the home. Does anyone have a clue if this is true?

A. Vinyl siding will definitely increase the value of any home. As far as 17k worth .... that depends on the size of the house.....if there is really that much siding then the price would reflect the approximate amount you could expect to see the value go up. Call around...17k sounds a little high......dont tell us that you called Sears or someone like that.....shop around..... vinyl siding should cost you around $350-400 per square (10'x10') for your walls and about $10-12 per foot for eaves and overhangs......

Q. My window air conditioner dripped outside and left rust stains down our vinyl siding - I just tried power washing it with siding cleaner and I also used a Mr. Clean Magic eraser; neither worked all the way - it may be stained in to the siding. Any ideas of how to remove it or cover it? The siding is white. Thanks for any help!

A. I used CLR on my siding that was stained from untreated well water in the sprinklers. It also worked well on the masonary skirting below the siding.

Q. Hi--I am building a pergola and am attaching it to the house. I am planning on attaching it to the part of the house with vinyl siding (a little lower its brick--but very uneven bricks so I think it will be easier with the siding) So what I'm wondering is, do I remove the siding where I want to attach the ledger board, or do I just go directly onto the siding?

A. I would remove the vinyl. J-Channel around your supports that attatch to your house. Use trim coil in spots that j-channel will not work. After you get your pergola complete all the siding must move freely on the wall. Any restriction in the panel will cause it to oil-can (bubble) and can negate any warranty you may have. Good luck...

Q. I bought vinyl siding for me steel building that has existing metal siding. I'm wondering if I need vapor barrier between the two sidings. I also want to know that type of screw to use.

A. You would have to use firring strips around the whole building, using sheet metal screws. fasten them vertically every 16" o.c. then use galvanized roofing tacks to hang the siding...

Q. We had a tree that was hit by lightening and damaged the vinyl siding on 2 sides of the house when it fell. Our siding has been discontinued and I don't believe anyone makes 8" vinyl siding any longer. The insurance company only wants to pay for the sides that were damaged. I can't have two different sizes of siding on my house so I think the insurance company should pay to have the siding replaced on the whole house. Is this unreasonable?

A. The insurance company is paying for the damage caused no more no less. if you accidentally broke a neighbors end table and it was discontinued and they had three of them would you pay for three tables or one?

Q. Hi, I want to install new vinyl siding on my house, and I have got some quotes from different contractors However some have said that it is better to remove all of the old layers of different siding on the house and some have said just to remove the first layer that's aluminum siding and leave the layer under in place.....nobody offered and explanation as to why I should remove them all the contractor who sudgested to leave the older layers said that it was better for insulation.....is that true? what's the right thing to do and why ?

A. I have some experience with this. It really is a personal choice, and sometimes what is cost effective is better. But, I am going to assume from what you have told us that you have a house that was originally cedar siding, then it was wrapped with aluminum, and now you plan to put on vinyl. Whenever replacing siding it is very important to remove all previous layers and get all the way to the actual sheathing of your house. Sheathing rots and gets damaged over time and you can never have any idea of the problems underneath the original siding unless you strip it. If you simply cover it up with new vinyl siding it will only compound any problems with mold/rot that may be lurking underneath. The vinyl siding will create a cavity over the old siding where there is room for air and temperature differences that will make the vinyl siding more prone to warping over time, and that is on top of the fact that without the flat surface of the actual sheathing, it is more difficult to install the vinyl perfectly flat. My neighbor installs Certainteed vinyl siding on houses and ALWAYS removes old siding because even though it may cost more, the benefits to the consumer far outweigh the costs of having totally hidden problems or having to have workers come back out to fix things. As far as them telling you its better for insulation, thats not entirely true. Tearing down the old siding allows them to replace the Tyvek, repair any rotted out plywood and get a better seal around windows and doors where the most air is leaked in any house. So I'm not sure how true that is, sounds like a crock to me.

Q. The top half of the house that I am looking at has vinyl siding, which I dislike intensely. The bottom is red brick. What would be some options other than siding for the top?

A. Brick or stone veneer, gunnite, fiber cement, stucco, facing tile, board and batten, faux log siding there are many more to choose from, you could try shopping around at your local home improvement store for more ideas as well