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There should be small gaps between your roof and the walls of your home, and other buildings. These small gaps let building materials shift, expand, and contract with weather and other outside forces, and they prevent moisture from wicking down walls from roofing and gutter systems. Without these strategic gaps, your home’s exterior and its finishes can sustain water damage, decay, peel, delaminate, and crack. However, there is a fine line between a smart gap and a problematic gap—all  gaps should be small, intentional, and covered or filled in with foam insulation to prevent pests from using them as access points.

The best types of siding to withstand hail are fiber cement siding and engineered wood siding. Fiber cement siding is known for impact resistance, while some brands of engineered wood siding can withstand hail as big as 1 and 3/4 inches with no marks. Vinyl and aluminum siding are the most susceptible to hail.

There are several highly durable types of siding that you can build right on top of without removing it, with wood being one of them, provided it's in excellent condition. However, a common reason for siding replacement is to eliminate materials that are in poor condition, making installing new wood siding over old not recommended. Additionally, the cost of adding siding over existing siding can increase costs to between $7 and $13 per square foot.

Siding and cladding are two popular exterior wall coverings that protect homes from the elements and provide insulation, but they differ in design and application. Siding is applied directly to a home’s exterior, providing some insulation and basic shielding from the elements. In contrast, cladding is installed indirectly over furring strips, creating a ventilated air gap for enhanced insulation and moisture control.