Reduce your home maintenance to-do list with vinyl siding

As a siding contractor who came into the industry when aluminum siding was popular, one of the best enhancements I’ve seen in home remodeling is the evolution of vinyl siding. It’s now the number one exterior cladding choice in the United States, and for homeowners in our area, installing vinyl siding is an excellent investment due to its durability, no fuss maintenance, energy efficiency, and overall esthetic. If you’re looking for a way to update your home that will require minimal upkeep, vinyl siding has my vote. Here’s why:

It looks great. When vinyl first starting getting popular, some people shied away from it because it looked a bit, well, plain and ugly. But vinyl siding has come a long way in the past few years, with manufacturers listening to the call to create a product that’s more visually pleasing. Believe it or not, you can now find vinyl siding that comes in a variety of profiles such as fish scale, shake or scallop shapes – plus there are styles to mimic the look and texture of natural building materials such as wood.

It’s incredibly strong.  Winters here in Central Connecticut can be brutal, as can the summer sun. Vinyl siding is made to withstand winds of up to 110 mph and won’t fade or deteriorate as the seasons change. Most products come with a prorated warranty of up to 50 years for peace of mind, so you know your siding will stand up to the test of time.

It’s easy to maintain. Imagine a lifetime free of painting, staining and caulking the outside of your home.  One of my favorite things about vinyl is that it doesn’t need much maintenance, other than a soapy sponge bath and garden hose shower once in a while. Plus, unlike wood, you never have to worry about splitting, rotting, or termite and insect damage.

It will reduce your energy bills. Insulated siding is energy efficient and works like a blanket over your walls and wall studs. More than 75% of homes I work on are under insulated, which means that heat is escaping in the winter and cool air is getting out in the summer. By installing vinyl siding, you’ll be able to keep the air in your home regulated at a more comfortable temperature without running to the thermostat.

It pays for itself. With a 50-year warranty, no cost maintenance and the savings you’ll reap from your energy bill, installing vinyl siding is an investment worth thinking about. Plus, vinyl consistently ranks as one of the highest returns on investment for remodeling projects. 

Have you ever considered vinyl siding for your home? Do you have questions about making the switch to vinyl? I’d love to help – get in touch or check out our siding page for more information.

Help! My New Vinyl Siding is Warping

Dear Bob, I am writing because I had new vinyl siding installed a few years ago and now it’s beginning to warp on one side of our house. What is wrong with it and can it be fixed?

Vinyl siding is a great, low-maintenance material that can improve the curb appeal of your home while relieving you of those pesky routine paint jobs. But once in a while, I get a call or email just like the one from this homeowner, who is baffled to see that their new siding has suddenly begun to warp. There are generally three reasons that this can happen. 

The first and most common cause is that when the siding was installed, it was nailed on too tight. Vinyl is a material that expands and contracts with the climate, and it needs room to move. If the siding is nailed onto the house too tightly, it will begin to warp or distort. Unfortunately, the buckling won’t correct itself and will have to be replaced. If you’re having siding installed, grab a piece of it and make sure you can move it about a half an inch side to side. Another rookie mistake is nailing a flagpole or shutters directly through the siding and into the wood underneath. If you do this, you pin the siding down, which will potentially leave it to distort.

The second cause is a real palm-to-forehead moment, but I see it all the time, especially in the summer. If you have a gas grill, make sure it’s at least three feet away from your home. The heat from the grill can easily melt your siding if it’s too close to the house. 

The third is a little rarer and often comes as a big surprise to homeowners. These days, replacement windows are made with Low-E glass, which is an energy-efficient material that helps to diffuse dangerous UV rays from entering the house. The problem is that when the rays are diffused, they reflect back off the glass. If you live in an area where the houses are very close together, and your neighbor recently installed replacement windows, his or her home improvement could be causing your siding to warp. Luckily, by installing an external screen, the UV rays will be diffused and you shouldn’t have any problems. The same goes for you too, especially if you have a new window in a corner that reflects light back onto your house. 

One very important tip is to make sure you check the warranty on your siding. Special circumstances like warping from a neighbor’s glass won’t be covered so be aware of your siding’s environment and what could cause problems in the future. By taking a few preventative measures you can ensure both its longevity and your peace of mind.