Thread: Need help ---->Siding removal question

Have aluminum siding on the majority of the house and Dad put vinyl on an addition 30 years later. Doh Don't ask. Just go with it. I'm going to be painting the house soon and want to replace a BOTTOM piece of both the vinyl and the aluminum due to damage before I paint. (It's too damaged to just cut out a piece and repair.) I know siding is put on from the bottom up (corrected my OOOPS) and have done some internet research and most advice talks about using a zip tool for the vinyl siding. Do I need this? I have new replacement pieces for both the aluminum and vinyl(because thankfully my Dad saved everything) so don't have to worry about damaging either piece during removal. The vinyl section I need to replace is only about 18" long. The aluminum is 8' long. Does the zip tool work for aluminum, too?

Any tips for removing both kinds (bottom piece)? Do I need a zip tool? If not, what do I need? Where can I get the tool if I do need it? Lowes?

Any help is much appreciated as I will be doing this project myself.