Information about Exterior Home Vinyl Siding.

Importance of Siding
Before you decide to undertake a major outdoor remodeling project, you might want to first consider the most crucial element of the walls of your home: siding. It can mean the difference between low energy bills with comfortable temperatures and high fuel costs with a house that is too hot or too cold.

Siding might seem like a simple thing to choose, as most sidings appear to have been installed with aesthetics in mind. However, there are a number of factors involved. Insulation, waterproofing, condensation, moisture and pests are all considerations that must be made when it comes to siding.

The area that you live in and the type of house you live in, as well as your home's energy efficiency all affect the type of siding you should be buying. Condensation can build inside your walls and your home with faulty siding, and your insulation needs might differ from another's.

Pests pose a significant harm to your home, not only structurally, but in the form of respiratory illnesses and diseases. Mold, mildew and insects can spread disease, eat away at your home's walls and generally lower the overall appeal and therefore value of your home.

Materials Used in Siding
Listed below are some of the more popular siding choices around. You should also be familiar with the maintenance of each and how important siding is. Other questions should be forwarded to your local contractor

Vinyl
Vinyl is widely used in construction today. It resembles wood and comes in various styles and colors. One of the advantages of vinyl is that the color of the vinyl permeates the thickness of panel making scratches almost unnoticeable. Vinyl responds well in a wide variety of temperatures and climates. Unlike aluminum, damaged panels can be replaced quite quickly. Unlike woods, vinyl has a relatively high ignition temperature of 736 F. Cedar will burn 2 times faster and hardboard will burn 3 times faster than vinyl. This slower burn rate can give occupants more time to escape, in case of fire.

Stucco
Stucco is a combination of sand, cement and water. It is waterproof and weatherproof. Though it is waterproof and weatherproof, it is also permeable to water vapor. It lets moisture escape from the walls.

Wood
Woods such as cedar, redwood and cypress are most often used as siding. Some woods are very attractive to animals or birds, like woodpeckers, whose pecking will make holes or otherwise damage siding. It is important to know about the area you live in before choosing a particular type of wood. Cedar is a large coniferous tree, its surface is soft and its grain is intricate. Cedar produces a natural tannin that is thought to be a natural insect repellent. These tannins can cause spots, especially after rain storms. The spotting will stop after about 3 years, once the wood is used to the weather conditions. Redwood is similar to cedar except in its color.

Aluminum
Aluminum is similar to vinyl but is very susceptible to dents, for example, when hit by a ball or leaned on. It is relatively low maintenance in the earlier years. It will need repainting when you touch it and a chalky residue appears on your finger. When it does need repainting it must be carefully prepared using a primer specifically selected for that aluminum. Once in a while a manufacturer will discontinue a pattern. It's a good idea to purchase several replacement panels when you make the initial siding purchase.

Brick
Brick is now more affordable due to the newer mortar-less applications available. Mortar-less brick is made of concrete.

Plywood
Common plywood veneers include southern yellow pine, Douglas fir and western red cedar. Plywood siding can be either smooth or roughhewn. One preferred plywood siding is T1-11, which is grooved to resemble lumber. Plywood siding applied horizontally is susceptible to water penetration. Two possible remedies for this are flashing behind the plywood or creating scarfed joints.

Siding maintenance
Listed below is a list of materials and maintenance associated with it. Siding is an important decision and a homeowner should be well aware of what they are getting into. Other questions should be addressed to your local contractor.

Aluminum
Aluminum is easily maintained in the first few years. After that the color may fade or paint may peel, blister or crack. Aluminum should be watched for dents, which should either be repainted or the panel replaced. Aluminum may need to be cleaned to remove dirt, grass, or mildew.

Brick and Stone
Brick and stone may fall out or crumble. This is especially likely to occur where wall meets wall or at the bottom of the wall. One way to slow it is to clear any debris from underneath the lowest course of the material. Under this bottom course are weep holes that allow moisture to escape from behind the veneer. Another way to help prevent this is keeping vines off the siding. As vines grow and spread on siding they actually do 2 things. They hold on to the mortar making it weak and they trap moisture next to the house.

Composition Board
Composition board or hardboard must have a good deal of care, especially in wet climates. Composition board must be repainted more often than other wood sidings because it doesn't hold paint as well. If left exposed too long, the board will absorb moisture, expand and bow out. Unlike solid wood, which will shrink after it has expanded, hardboard will not. It may actually disintegrate. Make sure sprinklers and leaky downspouts don't wet the hardboard. You should always maintain 6-8 inches of clearance between the ground and the lowest board.

Choosing a wood that is appropriate to your area is important to consider before you make your purchase. Some birds, like woodpeckers, have been known to punch away at the sides of homes. Should birds make holes in the wood they must be filled or replaced.

Plywood
Plywood siding can expand and contract at different rates than the framing it is attached to. This expanding and contracting at different rates can cause nails to pull out, joints to pull apart and siding may fall off. Keep the surface finishes fresh or plywood siding will deteriorate, absorb moisture and warp. Once the warping starts, the grooves in the plywood will split allowing even more water to penetrate until the siding actually pushes away from the under ply.

Stucco
Stucco should be watched for cracks. All loose materials should be scraped from the cracks before caulking. Only use a paint able caulk.

Vinyl
Vinyl is easy to maintain. From time to time vinyl will have to be washed to eliminate dirt, dust, grass stains, mold or mildew. For heavier stains, vinyl siding can be cleaned with a soft cloth, or soft bristled toothbrush (if the surface is textured). Since vinyl and its accessories will melt when exposed to significant fire or flame, owners of vinyl siding should take care to keep grills and combustible materials away from the siding.

Wood Planking
Wood planking will have to be painted. Again, it depends on the climate and time since last painting.

Wood shakes and shingles
These should not be installed close to the ground where moisture might convey up behind them. If there is soil build up around the bottom of the wood siding it should be removed. Shakes and shingles will fade over time. Depending on the climate, painting may have to be done every 5-7 years and staining may have to be done every 3 years.