How to repair vinyl siding

First, you need something that can detach the damaged siding. You could use a flat screwdriver or a small pry bar, but you risk damaging surrounding pieces. An inexpensive gadget, commonly called a siding, zip, or unlocking tool and available at most hardware stores, will make the job easier.

Each piece of siding hangs from fasteners at its top edge and is locked to the piece below at its bottom edge. To remove a piece, you have to first unhook the panel above it. Slide the zip tool up underneath the bottom edge of the upper piece and pull down to unhook it. Work along the panel until the whole length is unhooked.