Contractors and homeowners alike should never take for granted the importance of high-quality siding.
Exterior siding, also referred to as exterior cladding, serves many purposes, but the most important is the protection of your home as the first line of defense from external dangers.
There are many materials for exterior siding, as well as different styles and combinations that can be used. All of them have pros and cons and perform differently depending on the climate. Wood, metal, and vinyl siding are all commonly used, as well as brick and stucco.
Even more important than the type of material you choose to use as siding for your home is the quality of those materials. For the purpose of this article, we will focus primarily on vinyl siding and why it’s essential to use high-quality materials and installation.
Vinyl siding is manufactured using polyvinyl chloride (PVC) resin in a continuous extrusion process. This co-extrusion process shapes the plastic into the long pieces we recognize as siding. The thickness of the siding is an indication of the quality, so the thicker the vinyl, the more durable it tends to be.
The quality of the vinyl can also depend on the chemical formula of the PVC used in the siding. The basic compound referred to as PVC is used to make the pipes our water runs through, wire installation, and even some medical devices. This gives you an idea of how versatile and durable PVC can be.
Protection
Vinyl siding is widely considered the most durable cladding material and is often the most cost-effective. This durability provides excellent protection for your home from both the elements and various pests.
No matter the climate you live in, every home will come in contact with multiple forms of precipitation. Not every location will see feet of snow during winter or continuous rain. Still, most areas of the country will experience some form or another of water falling on the exterior of your home.
Other siding materials like stucco or wood may still be able to perform their function when coming in contact with water, but may require additional waterproofing treatments to prevent absorption of water that could lead to warping, mold, or structural damage of the materials under the cladding.
By comparison, PVC is designed to be water-proof, making vinyl siding the best choice to prevent water damage to your home. This is just one example of the importance of high-quality siding.
Water is not the only element to consider. Along with water and storms comes wind. High-quality siding can withstand up to 240 MPH winds. Hopefully, your home never experiences winds like that, but it is comforting to know what the materials of your house can handle.
But even sunny weather can affect siding. Previously, there were some colors and styles of vinyl siding that tended to fade over time. With more knowledge and understanding, manufacturers can now apply a protective coating to vinyl siding that prevents damage from UV rays and maintains the color and functionality of vinyl siding for decades.
A final benefit vinyl siding has over other materials when it comes to protecting your home is the way vinyl siding can prevent pests from getting into your home. The barrier created by the materials and proper installation of vinyl siding makes it extremely difficult for bugs to penetrate to the spaces underneath.
Insulation
In addition to protecting the exterior of your home, high-quality siding can also protect the interior environment as well. Siding acts as insulation between the outside and inside. Since PVC is one of the best insulating materials, vinyl siding is great at keeping your home at a comfortable temperature.
Obviously, siding isn’t the only aspect of your home’s energy efficiency, but it can play a huge role in keeping cold air inside your home during hotter temperatures and warm air inside your home during colder temperatures.
Installation can also impact how well vinyl siding will insulate your home. If the separate pieces of siding are interlocked and sit as close to the side of your home as possible, the better insulation you will experience.
Curb Appeal
When vinyl siding first appeared on the market in the 1950s, it was not celebrated as the quality construction material it is today. In fact, there were common instances of the siding fading, warping, cracking, or peeling. This made the siding less effective and decreased the curb appeal of many homes.
Modern vinyl siding is very different and has improved in every way since then. Today, vinyl siding is the most commonly used siding for homes in the United States and can last up to fifty years if properly maintained.
If your vinyl siding is damaged in some way, it is actually easier and cheaper to repair than any other cladding material. You can simply replace the sections that are damaged, and the exterior of your home is good as new.
When dirt or grime appears on your siding, a simple powerwash will return your siding back to its beautiful, original state.
Feeling tired of the current style of your home or want to increase curb appeal with a new style? Siding can easily be painted with a latex-based exterior paint and still retain all of its functional benefits.
Mountain States Windows & Siding
The experts at Mountain States Windows & Siding understand the importance of high-quality siding and are dedicated to bringing the best out of the homes across the Wasatch Front in Utah. We provide quality siding products to protect your home and increase your property value.
If you are looking to remodel the exterior or some interior areas of your home, Mountain States promises professional and transparent services from start to finish. Our commitment to you, our valued customers, is to always be upfront about our process and all the costs that accompany it. We also promise to stay within your budget.
Contact us today for more information about our services
