Cracked caulking around windows (Home Depot, Lowes, paint, plank)

[twoincomes]

Noticed today that a lot of the windows in our home have cracked caulking around the outside, where the window meets the Hardiplank siding.

How do I correct this? Obviously recaulk, but do I remove the old caulking before adding new, or just squirt new on top?

House is 8 years old (I'm the second owner). Is it reasonable for it have cracked now? I don't want to go around recaulking every couple years if I can help it.

What kind of caulking works best to fix it?

House location: Pacific Northwest

Thanks

[TrapperL]

Considering the house most likely has a painters grade caulk on it, I'd remove it. You can do this with a Paint Tool. I sharpen mine some but not knife sharp. It makes removing the old caulk a breeze. When it comes to caulk, make sure to read the amount of water in the caulk. I don't allow anything with the name DAP on my jobs because of it. At one time DAP made great caulks but the company has changed hands a time or two over the years and there's far too much water in it. It will crack open before the first year is out. WE use Superiors 3006 White Lightning caulk on all of our exteriors. It's very high solids, very little shrinkage, and it stays put without cracking. It has a 40 year warranty. Lowes is one of their retailers. Avoid any clear caulks as they do not have UV filters in the mix and will yellow and shrink. Make sure whatever caulk you decide on is paintable and avoid pure silicone caulks unless you know to work with them. They can get stringy pretty quick. Here's some linkys:
Husky 14-in-1 Painter's Tool-DSX-G14 at The Home Depot
Shop White Lightning 11-oz White Paintable Silicone Window and Door Caulk at Lowes.com

[K'ledgeBldr]

Originally Posted by twoincomes

I don't want to go around recaulking every couple years if I can help it.

Well, the response to that statement is-
"Oh, yes you will!" Welcome to home ownership.

I believe Trapper covered the important stuff. I'll add this; regardless of the caulk you use, depending on what side of the house it's on will determine its life cycle. South and West will usually have a shortened cycle versus North and East. And that will vary if there is year around shade from conifer-type trees. Another issue that you will contend with is different materials expand and contract at different rates; i.e., siding and window frame.

[need4speed2012]

Remove, Clean and Reapply New Caulk.