Vinyl Siding: What Are the Pros and Cons?
Vinyl siding is one of the most popular siding materials. The fact that vinyl siding protects so many homes and businesses doesn’t mean it’s the best choice for you. Here we’ll discuss the pros and cons of vinyl siding so you can make an informed decision.
Vinyl Siding: What Are the Pros and Cons?
Vinyl Siding Advantages
In recent years, vinyl has become a popular choice for building exteriors for a variety of reasons. First, let’s look at vinyl siding’s benefits.
Affordability
Vinyl siding is cheaper than fiber-cement and aluminum siding. It is common for vinyl siding to cost between $3.50 and $7 per square foot, whereas fiber-cement siding is about twice as expensive. Vinyl siding offers the best value for your money.
Highly Insulated and Durable
Just because vinyl siding is relatively cheap doesn’t mean it’s flimsy. On the contrary, vinyl siding is quite durable, withstanding the forces of moisture, wind, extreme temperatures, sunlight, and more. As a result, properly-installed and well-maintained vinyl siding does a good job of protecting a building’s exterior surfaces while keeping its interior well-insulated.
Easy to Customize and Paint
Vinyl siding is also versatile when it comes to style options. For one thing, this material doesn’t need to be painted at all, instead coming in a variety of colors right out of the box. That said, if you wish to restore or change the color of your vinyl siding via residential exterior painting, this material is highly receptive to paint. With vinyl siding, you can easily outfit your home or business with any color scheme of your choosing.
Low-Maintenance
Lastly, you don’t need to invest huge amounts of time or energy taking care of your vinyl siding. Maintenance matters for any building exterior, of course, but the slick surface and durable construction of vinyl siding makes it easy to clean via power washing and/or scrubbing. Likewise, most siding repair jobs are easily performed, involving some simply crack-filling, paint touch-ups, and individual board replacements.
Vinyl Siding Setbacks
Despite all its benefits, vinyl siding has its share of setbacks, too. Here are the cons of vinyl siding.
Moisture Can Linger Beneath Boards
While vinyl surfaces are resistant to moisture, the shape of vinyl siding boards (along with its layered installation) can trap water between the boards and insulative layers. This lingering moisture can make its way inside the property, encourage the growth of mold and mildew, and cause structural damage.
Not Safe for Environment
Vinyl siding may not appeal to you if you are concerned about your home’s or business’ carbon footprint. In order to synthesize polyvinyl chloride (PVC) for vinyl siding boards, manufacturers emit high levels of nitrogen oxide, dioxin, sulfur dioxide, and other gasses that contribute to climate change.
Vinyl May Devalue Property
Despite all the good vinyl siding can do for your home or business, its presence can actually lower your property’s demand and market value, especially if the siding covers or eliminates certain desirable architectural features. Potential buyers might simply not like the look of vinyl siding, while others might view it as an inferior siding choice compared to masonry, aluminum, fiber-cement, etc.
Proper Installation Requires Expertise
While the installation of vinyl siding is relatively simple compared to certain other options, it requires careful planning and execution to ensure the best results and longest lifespan. Even something as minor as nails being driven too hard or too lightly can lead to warping, improper insulation, and a host of other problems. Whether you’re investing in brand new vinyl siding or seeking siding replacement, you must do your homework when hiring contractors to tackle this project.
The Verdict on Vinyl Siding
Whether the pros of vinyl siding outweigh the cons (or vice versa) is a subjective matter. There are many reasons to select vinyl as your siding material or consider other options. Whatever the case, make sure you hire siding specialists to install, repair, or replace your property’s siding. At Southers Construction we provide a thorough inspection with your home to make sure you are in good hands. Get your free no-obligation estimate today by contacting us at [email protected] or giving us a call at 603-605-8037. We will send an expert your way to help educate you on all your exterior needs and help prepare you for a lifetime.
