Lake Quinsigamond runs along Shrewsbury's western edge, and if your house is near the water, it gets wind coming straight across the lake and a lot more moisture than a house farther inland. Decks there gray out and cup. North walls stay damp and grow mildew. Paint on trim fails early. Away from the lake, the town is full of two-story colonials from the past few decades, many still wearing their original builder-grade vinyl.
That first-round vinyl was often hung loose, with thin backing and little thought about the wrap behind it. Twenty-plus winters later, you see faded south walls, panels that rattle in the wind and cracked corners. Shrewsbury also has a lot of decks off the back of those colonials, and plenty are pressure-treated boards on framing that's due for a real look before anyone adds a new surface.
We're a quick run up I-290 from our Auburn office. For siding, we strip back, check the sheathing, wrap it in Tyvek with taped seams and fasten to the manufacturer's manual. Gentek gives you a premium color at no upcharge, or step up to James Hardie fiber cement. For decks, we inspect the framing first, then build with Trex or composite on a frame that's sized right.
What we see on Shrewsbury houses
- Lakeside homes taking wind and moisture off Lake Quinsigamond
- Builder-grade vinyl on 1990s and 2000s colonials
- Pressure-treated decks with framing that needs inspection
- Mildew on north walls of shaded, damp lots
