Are there advantages to vinyl siding?

When it comes to installing siding on your home, sometimes it’s difficult to determine whether or not you want to keep the working materials as real wood or if switching materials to vinyl would be a way to help the house with its longevity. It’s important to discuss the advantages of vinyl siding with a siding contractor like Dependable Construction to determine what type of siding will be best for your home and if the advantages of vinyl siding are advantages you’ll actually benefit from.

Vinyl siding is appealing to contractors like Dependable Construction because it installs quickly, is cheaper and doesn’t require paint, however vinyl isn’t watertight, the material can fluctuate with temperature changes and vinyl trim has to be pre-made so there are sometimes limitations when they’re installed. In fact, for both homeowners and contractors alike, deciding between vinyl siding and other building materials is one of the biggest battles and has been since vinyl siding was introduced to the market.

When it was first introduced in the early 1950s, vinyl siding wasn’t as durable and was easily damaged, but as time has continued both the production and installation of the material has improved. Vinyl siding is growing in popularity in the United States and it’s because there are some advantages to using it. It’s important to discuss the advantages of vinyl siding with a siding contractor like Dependable Construction to determine what type of siding will be best for your home.

What are the advantages of vinyl siding?

Vinyl siding is an exterior siding for houses and building that is made from plastic. It’s often used in place of other siding materials such as brick, wood, aluminum and fiber cement. Although wood is more traditional and fiber cement is durable, Vinyl siding does have its own advantages. Along with its different looks and durability, it’s also safe to use, easy to install and maintain, sustainable for the environment, and best of all, it’s affordable.

It’s safe!

Vinyl is a safe material for you to use for your home. It complies with the National Fire Protection Association’s stringent requirements to insulate electrical and data transmission cables. If you use a siding that isn’t safe with certain cables it could cause a fire, so it’s important to ensure the product being installed is approved by the NFPA.

Vinyl is easy to install and maintain.

Whether you’re hiring a siding contractor like Dependable Construction or doing it yourself, vinyl siding is easy to install and maintain which makes it a good investment for yourself and for the contracted company installing the siding for you. It’s lightweight and can be installed over existing materials, which can help to save you labor costs from completely ripping off old siding and can allow you to revert back to the old siding if for any reason you decide you don’t like the vinyl.

After installation comes maintenance, and the advantage to using vinyl siding is that is doesn’t need to be painted, which makes maintenance minimal. Typically vinyl siding doesn’t have issues with rotting or cracking and it’s easy to wash with soap and water just a few times a year, if not once a year. Washing the siding of a house can be a big job and some materials require special cleaners, so vinyl siding can save you both time and money with its easy upkeep.

It lasts.

Do you ever buy something for what you think is a great price only to realize that there was a reason it was so cheap? With vinyl, it may be affordable but durability isn’t a problem. It can withstand heat, cold, wind and rain. As you know Ohio’s weather changes with a blink of an eye. Summers are hot, winters are cold and wet, and there’s often rain during the spring and summer. Having a vinyl siding that will keep its beautiful appearance and continue to perform is important. Often times, products will also have a lifetime warranty so if for some reason your vinyl siding does have damage, it will be taken care of.

You can get the look you want for your home.

A lot of times when it comes time to re-side a home, one of the most important things a homeowner thinks about is how the siding will look on the house. This doesn’t just mean the color or shape of the siding, but also the texture and even the trim. With vinyl siding, there is a huge selection of colors for a homeowner to pick from and match their house with. There’s also a diverse selection of architectural accents and textures. Vinyl siding is made to look like wood, stone and slate which makes using vinyl siding possible for people who are interested in keeping a more traditional look for their home.
There are also designs for vinyl siding to help the home keep its authenticity. If the home is a Victorian style house, it doesn’t make sense to use modern fixtures. Vinyl siding is available to fit any home style so that homeowners can keep their curb appeal but still get the other added benefits of vinyl siding.

Help the environment.

Going green is a hot topic right now and with vinyl siding, its sustainability is a big advantage. As a whole, vinyl siding tends to be environmentally friendlier because it outperforms other siding options meaning it won’t have to be thrown away. It also is a great way to insulate a house, which can make a home more energy efficient. Energy efficient homes are better for the environment because they reduce the use of heat, electricity and gas. Plus it can help lower your utility costs.

It isn’t overpriced.

When it comes to home improvements, they can get costly and sometimes there isn’t a huge return on investment. One of the best benefits of vinyl siding is that it is low-cost to install and has the lowest cost during its life cycle. That means it is cheaper to clean and repair vinyl than it is to do the same for other siding materials. It also has a good return on investment when it comes time to sell the house.

There are many different materials a homeowner has to choose from when it comes time to reside a home. Be sure to discuss the options available to you with a siding contractor like Dependable Construction. We can walk you through the advantages and disadvantages of certain materials as well as show you what you can afford at your price point. It’s important to consult a professional first even if you plan to DIY so you can get the best bang for your buck.