The Pros and Cons to Vinyl Siding
It's no secret as you drive around town that vinyl siding is one of the most popular exterior cladding seen. Despite the product’s popularity, it sometimes suffers from a poor reputation. This article will show you the pros and cons of vinyl siding relative to other products, and why we feel that homeowners should still feel confident in the material!
PRO: PRICE POINT
The first thing you probably learned when you started your research is that vinyl is the most economical siding option. Panels are made from thin sheets of PVC that lock together, which means that you get a ton of wall coverage for not very much money. And because the panels weigh relatively little, installation is faster than any other siding product.
On average, you can expect a vinyl renovation to come in between 25% to 50% less expensive than a fiber cement or wood siding project, depending on the design of the home.
CON: FADING
DOES VINYL SIDING FADE?
Yes, you can expect vinyl siding to fade when it’s installed on the exterior of your home. How much it will fade will depend on two factors:
Color: In general, darker colours will fade more than lighter ones.
Exposure: The biggest environmental factor affecting fading is exposure to sunlight.
PRO: WATER RESISTANCE
Since vinyl siding is made from plastic, the material itself is pretty much waterproof. You can put it closer to grade than other products without having to worry about swelling or paint loss. Some products, such as wood and fiber-cement siding, require more care to ensure that they are kept clear of standing and running water.
Because vinyl siding is so water resistant, it is also more DIY friendly than some of the other options on the market.
CON: HEAT RESISTANCE
Unfortunately, vinyl siding will warp or melt when exposed to even moderate heat. If you keep your barbeque too close to your wall, you can pretty much guarantee that you’ll be replacing panels. Even the reflection from your neighbour’s windows might be enough to ruin vinyl siding!
PRO: LOW MAINTENANCE
As homeowners, we already have enough to keep up with around the house. Cleaning, dusting, shoveling, mowing, painting, staining, and on and on it goes. The last thing most people want to do is to add another maintenance item to their list by choosing an exterior cladding product that needs a ton of upkeep.
Maintenance factor is another area where vinyl siding shines. Made from a specialized type of exterior grade plastic, it requires next to nothing from the homeowner to continue looking its best for decades. All you really have to do is to rinse it down once in a while, and that’s about it! There’s nothing to repaint and no caulked joints to keep an eye on.
Come visit us today at Xtreme Home Products, located in Mooresville, NC, to get a free quote and to see our vinyl replacement siding in action. We serve Statesville, Troutman, Winston Salem, Taylorsville, Hickory, Denver, Sherrills Ford, Mooresville, Newton, Concord, Davidson, Huntersville, Cornelius, Lincolnton, Charlotte, and surrounding areas.