Aluminum siding repair

danomac · Mon Mar 02, 2015 3:31 pm

Hi all,

A previous owner had put in a wall-mounted window air conditioner. So they cut a hole in the wall and "affixed" the A/C.

I discovered recently that they didn't install it properly and water has been getting in the wall. I recently had the floor/wall open due to a flood and surprisingly there was hardly any damage, so it must've been a really slow leak. Of course the A/C was installed on the south side of my home (where most weather systems roll in from.)

Anyway, my home is a 1980 unit with what looks like aluminum siding (in large panels.)

I finally got around to installing central air, so now I want to plug the leaky hole.

The question I have is how thick is the aluminum siding? I was hoping to go down to the metal place and get a thin gauge aluminum panel to cover the hole & bond it somehow to the existing aluminum.

Getting the panel is not terribly difficult when I know the size, but I am unsure how to attach it. I was thinking I could cut the corners out so I can slide the new panel up underneath the existing siding, then I'd have to tar/seal the seams somehow.

Anyone have any suggestions? Or can at least tell me if I'm out to lunch here?

Thanks

Greg · Mon Mar 02, 2015 7:18 pm

I hope you are not planning on matching the siding you have, your odds will be MUCH better on winning the powerball and buying a new home.

The panels are not foil thin, but not a whole lot more. If the panel is easily visible, you could pull one from the back of the home and put the repaired panel in a less visible area. To fill the hole I would pop rivet a panel in place with urethane rubber caulk as a seal between the two.

Greg

danomac · Mon Mar 02, 2015 7:59 pm

Greg wrote:I hope you are not planning on matching the siding you have, your odds will be MUCH better on winning the powerball and buying a new home.

No, I knew I wouldn't find something to match. I generally don't see that side of the house at all, I was looking at flat sheet aluminum replacement piece.

Greg wrote: The panels are not foil thin, but not a whole lot more. If the panel is easily visible, you could pull one from the back of the home and put the repaired panel in a less visible area. To fill the hole I would pop rivet a panel in place with urethane rubber caulk as a seal between the two.

I never thought about rivets, but I think I'd have to take the panel completely off to do that (thinking of the space the rivet needs to expand to seat), and it might be ReallyDamnHard as there are gutters and newer style slip in window in the way. I don't think I want to remove a window and the gutter to try to fix it.

Urethane rubber caulking shouldn't be too hard to find. I was planning on cleaning the new piece carefully and painting it to somewhat match the rest of the siding. I wonder if I could pull the siding out enough to use the rivets properly. Hmm...

Steve-WA · Tue Mar 03, 2015 9:30 am

Putty tape and 1/4" hex head screws... Or put in a window.

Greg · Tue Mar 03, 2015 6:08 pm

Good idea for the window!!

Greg

HouseMedic · Tue Mar 03, 2015 7:58 pm

If it's the standard type aluminum siding you have to take it off from the top down and then put it all back on again while putting in your repair pieces where the old hole was. I would track down some pieces of siding that comes close to matching then cover the hole with a underlayment comparable to what the rest of the place has then reinstall your old siding.

Ron

danomac · Tue Mar 03, 2015 8:22 pm

Regarding the window, there's a window installed above where this air conditioner is currently located... I think it might look kind of strange with stacked windows.

The aluminum siding is large vertical sheets that look like they interlock. I realize whatever I do it's not going to be pretty. I may eventually reside the whole unit (taking all the aluminum down, getting house wrap & using a vinyl siding or something) but that's a ways (like years) off.

Dan

Steve-WA · Wed Mar 04, 2015 4:05 pm

Combine them: 1 big window

UmpJJ · Wed Mar 04, 2015 5:45 pm

Take a photo from outside of the way it looks now, and take the photo to one of the big box stores. Ask them to show you what it would look like with 1 big window, or stacked windows, or a bay window, or whatever else you can think of. They'll computer generate some impressive possibilities for you, and you'll know exactly what it will look like.

UmpJJ

danomac · Thu Mar 05, 2015 10:17 pm

Dang, I like the idea of a big window. I'm going to call up the place that replaced most of my windows a few years ago.

Thanks for the tip! That never would have crossed my mind.

The window in it now is 36Wx30H, it will grow to 36Wx54H, that should let in a lot of light!

HouseMedic · Thu Mar 05, 2015 10:35 pm

danomac wrote:Dang, I like the idea of a big window. I'm going to call up the place that replaced most of my windows a few years ago.

Thanks for the tip! That never would have crossed my mind.

The window in it now is 36Wx30H, it will grow to 36Wx54H, that should let in a lot of light!

That might work out good for you. 54" height is a common size.

Ron