For those who live in warmer climates, water damage can occur within your walls because of poorly designed air conditioning systems.

Systems that are oversized (a larger capacity than necessary)will not remove enough humidity which leads to high moisture levels that condense on cooler surfaces.

Duct systems that are imbalanced can draw outside humidity through walls that can produce water in walls.

Mitigating these problems requires a professional.

Repairing attic problems listed above may seem simple enough, but trying to do it yourself doesn’t guarantee you really fixed problem and can sometimes lead to other problems.

Hiring an insulation expert who specializes in building science (also known as a building performance specialist) will ensure job is done properly and safely.

These specilaists come equipped with tools such as blower doors, pressure guages, etc. to quantify measures taken for repairs.

The same goes for air conditioning specialist, he should have duct diagnostic tools to test your ductwork to be sure it is properly designed and performing efficiently.

If you are unable to find someone in your area, go to www.energyconservatory.com.

They are manufacturers of required testing instruments and they will have contractors in their database they can recommend.

In addition to taking care of water damage, your home will be more comfortable, you’ll save money on your energy bills and improve your indoor air quality.

Ed Bishop is founder and president of Enhanced Living Inc., a Troy, NY-based design-consulting and contracting company. contracting. Trained in the “House Is A System” approach to HVAC design. He was formerly a building analyst instructor, providing certification training for New York's Home Performance with ENERGY STAR® program

Code-compliant flashing should be integrated with weather resistant barrier and applied around windows, doors, and other openings. Flashing should also be applied to inside and outside corners, and intersection of walls and roofing to prevent water seepage through joints.

Once your outside wall has been covered with sheathing to provide a smooth flat surface, and your windows and doors have had flashing installed to channel any incidental water from collecting, you may now install starter strip. This strip is an accessory applied directly to surface of building at lowest part of wall to be sided, and is used to secure first course of siding to home. This course will need to be checked for level as it is what rest of job relies upon for evenness.

With aluminum, galvanized steel, or other corrosion-resistant nails, you may now start installing vinyl siding. As each style of panel may be different refer to installation instructions supplied. Cut panels to length with a circular saw and trim with tin snips. As you nail panels in place, be sure to leave about thickness of as dime between nail head and wall to allow for shifting. Check every 5th or 6th course for horizontal alignment. When portions overlap you must have about 1" to seal joint.

The basic installation of vinyl siding is quite simple, but since there are codes governing how certain aspects are handled, you should inquire with a professional for specific trimming tasks and other more complicated vinyl siding installation practices.

All in all, you will find task of re-siding your home manageable with only a few frustrations to contend with. But reward will be well worth it.