Q. Hi, I'm getting vinyl siding (or shake) for my house but wanted to know if i'm better off using a siding "company" in which all they do is windows, siding, etc. or is it okay to use my own carpenter? (I can get a substantial "discount" on the siding itself, but not if I use a siding company). Do most carpenters do siding? Thanks!

A. Most carpenters do siding. Siding is one aspect of the carpentry trade. As far as whether YOUR carpenter knows how to install siding, you would need to ask him. There's more to it than just nailing the siding to the wall. Shooting a level line around the house is the first step. If he lacks the tools or know how to do this, you could end up with a mess. Also critical is knowing how to nail the vinyl on the wall. It is not nailed tight through the flange. It is left about 1/16" loose to allow for expansion and contraction. These would be good questions to ask him to test his knowledge. Good luck to you.

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 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. Anyone here work with wood siding? My house is circa 1916 and I will need to replace sections with new siding. So rare now to see redwood siding ! Am I going to have trouble matching the pattern for such an old house? If so, anyone know of sources for old siding? In SF Bay Area if that helps.

A. You may have to go to a lumber mill that still does different types of moldings and mill works to get the sideing duplicated. There are places that do this.

Q. How does an inspector know is the entire house is okay under the aluminum siding without looking under every section of siding? We are considering the possbility of buying a home that has aluminum siding on it, and we plan to eventually take it off, but how do we know for sure that we are not just buying a problem. How likely is it that a home inspector will be able to tell if there is something wrong under the siding? Do they check around the entire house under all the siding? When siding is put on, do they remove all the old siding, or install it right on top of the old siding? Can an average "do it yourself person" tear off aluminum siding and replace it with something else? Any help would be greatly appreciated! THANK YOU!!!

A. He is checking for moisture and mildew. maybe rot of any kind. ask him. if there is a problem and you are purchasing it, the seller is responsible. they will have to fix it before you buy so you will find out anyway. talk to your realtor about an insurance that the seller buys, if anything happens for 1 year, that insurance covers it. it is about 300.00. that 300 is the sellers responsibility. make sure you have a realtor an average person can take it off and add something else later

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. I hire a contractor to replace and removed the old siding form my house. i have seen siding install before and there is normally an woord frame or plywood that is underneat the siding. the contractor stated that is no needed. and based on that he refused to continue with the work. i then proceeded to put a stop payment on the downpayment what are my options now! can i hired someone else to do the work without bein held liable for his expenses?

A. If you install cement siding you DO NOT need plywood behind it, all you need is roofing felt for a moisture barrier,the siding is attach to your studs,i finish my house and garage with hardie board siding and it looks great,you might call that contractor and apologize,good luck.

Q. SmartSiding, Cement Fiber, or real wood. We are looking at replacing existing wood 4x8 panels with lap siding for a building. Siding would be above the ground by about 8 feet. Would like to use LP Smart siding. Have not heard anything bad about it.

A. Hardi panel, is in my opinion the highest quality product out there, installed correctly, it will last forever