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5 Things You Need to Know Before Choosing Vinyl Siding

The siding on your home serves a very important purpose. It is one of the first aspects of the home that people are going to notice as they drive by and come to visit. Good siding is often overlooked yet indicates a solid foundation and welcoming facade. Meanwhile, siding that is warping and deteriorating from the structure is an immediate eye sore and quickly lowers home value if trying to sell.

If it’s time to replace your siding, or you are building a new home, there are a few important things to know about vinyl siding before selecting it as your material of choice. Vinyl siding is a very popular option. According to the annual home report published by the U.S. Census Bureau, vinyl has been the number one choice for homeowners for 23 years in a row.

shake vinyl siding

There is a reason why. Vinyl siding has numerous benefits like its affordable material costs, low maintenance, environmentally-friendly construction, technological innovations, and more. However, before you make your final decision here are 5 things that you need to consider…

1. Vinyl Siding Is Becoming More Customizable

One of the original drawbacks to vinyl was that it was mass produced and only sold in a few different color schemes like a boring beige or pastel. If you wanted a bold, distinct color you were better off going with wood or brick since you could paint it yourself.

However, a lot of that has changed. Like vinyl windows, siding is also very customizable. You can literally pick from just about any color you want to match your windows, doors, roof, or some other feature.

The ability for vinyl to adapt in this way is one of the best decisions manufacturers of this type of siding have done in recent years. Of course, vinyl siding never needs to get painted again, so the ability to pick and choose exactly what color you want for your home’s the exterior is incredibly important.

You can also improve the presentation of vinyl even more by combining horizontal with vertical siding. Builders often like to use horizontal siding on traditional homes, while vertical panels work well with contemporary designs. Or a combination of it with stone or brickworks great too.

2. Vinyl Siding Remains Long Lasting

When vinyl was first introduced its primary selling point was the low maintenance the siding would require. Things haven’t really changed all that much. Vinyl siding continues to remain one of the most durable and hardy types of siding, if not the most long-lasting.

If you’ve owned a home for long you probably know that the weather is absolutely unforgiving on the siding. The sun beats it up on south facing walls. Heavy rain and snow can penetrate the cracks and rot out wood siding. Siding also takes a beating from high winds along with normal wear and tear. Needless to say, your siding is kind of like the first line of defense for your home’s structure and foundation.

The great thing about vinyl siding is it is built to last. Not only is the type of siding extremely durable to the elements, but it also requires little maintenance on your part, like no need to repaint or restain every 5 to 10 years. Furthermore, it also holds up really well to sun fading and warping.

3. Vinyl Siding Is Practical To Install

Whether you are a DIYer or you are hiring a professional, vinyl is considered fairly straightforward to install. Even if you don’t install the siding yourself, the simple installation means less labor time spent for a professional team to put it in. Which means more savings upfront.

Still, the siding is only as good as its installation. It doesn’t matter how much you invest in the material, if the installation is poor, the siding will warp and not fulfill its main purpose.

Check to make sure the product has at least an ASTM Standard 3679 designation. These are the minimum standards from the American Society of Testing and Materials (ASTM), so a designation above 3679 is even better.

Since vinyl does expand and contract due to temperature changes, it is a really good idea to hire an experienced siding contractor unless you have experience with home building or installing siding in the past.

4. Vinyl Siding Requires Very Little Maintenance To Look Great

While vinyl is about as low in maintenance as one could possibly ask for on an exterior material that endures a ton of wear and tear, there are still a few things you need to do over the years to help make your siding last a long time.

Vinyl siding can get washed with traditional soap and water, or just with water. Regardless, you need to hose it down occasionally in order to remove dirt and grime that builds up on the material. Removing the buildup allows the true color of the vinyl to show through since you will never repaint it to reproduce the bright color in that way.

When it comes to siding, it also never hurts to check for moisture. Water damage is a frequent problem for homeowners on the exterior of their structure. The issue is twofold when it penetrates the siding.

The top-rated vinyl providers usually equip the siding with methods to allow moisture to escape from the material. If that is not the case, a general inspection can notify you of any red flags.

Moisture build-up contributes to rot and mold, as well as warping which is reason enough to spend 10 minutes checking it now instead of countless hours and hundreds of dollars repairing it later on down the road.

board and batten vinyl siding

5. Damaged Panels May Still Need To Be Replaced

Though vinyl likes to pride itself on being nearly maintenance-free as well as not having the same exposure risks as wood siding, it does not mean that every panel will be flawless. You may still need to replace a panel or two of vinyl siding on occasion.

When a single panel gets damaged, the problem can spread to the rest of the paneling if not properly addressed. So, your best solution is to purchase extra paneling when you make the initial purchase and find a place to store it. Then, if a panel or two needs replaced every so often you have a quick resource.

Any panel that chips, cracks, or has notable blemishes is worthy of being replaced. It is especially important if you suspect water exposure. The good news is that you do not need to replace everything, just the paneling that has been affected.

Should You Buy Vinyl Siding?

In addition to all the other benefits of vinyl, one that still hasn’t been mentioned yet in this article is the affordability. Vinyl is inexpensive and comparable to other types, like wood.

You don’t have to break the bank to install vinyl and since the type of siding has such a stellar reputation for holding up to the elements and requires no paint or stain, you figure to save money in the long run.

With a little inspection and basic maintenance, vinyl will hold up for decades and many manufacturers even back up their products with lifetime coverage against peeling, rusting, flaking, blistering, chipping, cracking and rotting. Some manufacturers even guarantee fade resistance and cover hail damage.

Best of all, the top warranties even allow you to interchange the guarantee from you to the next homeowner if you are considering selling the home in the near future.

Now you can get the best vinyl siding with non-other than Feldco. Since 1976, Feldco has delivered over 500,000 delighted customers with great quality product, local services, and professional installation done by professional siding installers. Speak to a product specialist and get a free quote today.

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