Winter is in full swing again. This means that storage and maintenance of siding needs special attention.

In some cases, when the weather conditions are so extreme, installing plastic cladding is even inadvisable!

Storage cladding
It starts with the storage of cladding panels when they are delivered to the workshop. All cladding panels must be handled with extreme care this will benefit the quality of the end result. The cladding panels must be stored off the ground, horizontally and on a flat surface. The panels need sufficient support and we recommend covering the facade panels with a tarpaulin to prevent soiling and damage. It is then also possible to stack the packages with sufficient support.

It is very important to allow two days for the facade panels to acclimate to the environment. At temperatures below 5°C above zero, additional measures should be taken, such as storing in a heated and dry storage area.

Maintenance of cladding
Not only should the weather be taken into account when storing siding, so should the maintenance. We recommend cleaning siding twice a year for best results.

When cleaning in the winter, it is important to pay attention to several points. First, make sure you do not use corrosive chemicals that may cause the top layer of the cladding to defect. Use a simple home, garden and kitchen suds mixed in water.

In winter, snow or rainfall can get on the siding. When you want to clean, the first thing to do is to make the facade free of snow. Make sure that no dirt remains on the cladding when you want to start cleaning. This dirt can be smeared forcefully which can result in scratches in the cladding's top layer.

Finally, working with hot or warm water is strictly prohibited. Using hot water exposes the facade panels to extreme temperature changes in a very short period of time. This can cause the panels to work extremely which can result in color loss and cracking.

Installation of facade cladding
In addition to storage and maintenance, it is strictly forbidden to install siding at temperatures below -5 degrees. This is in view of firstly the safety of the fitter and secondly the extreme expansion and contraction of the material in the event of temperature differences.

Source: Milin