Whether you’re improving the exterior of your house or looking for ways to provide it better insulation, installing a siding canbe a good option. A siding serves as the first line of defense of your house against different elements. A high-quality one indicates a solid foundation and contributes a welcoming façade to your home.
Aside from that, it gives you an opportunity to boost the energy efficiency of your home through insulation. It can also help reduce the maintenance you have to do to your house’s exterior.
Siding installation costs money. So before investing in one, it won’t hurt to examine different factors that will affect your decision. Whether you prioritize maintenance, durability, or environmental-friendly materials, weighing your choices will let you determine what’s best for your home’s siding. So here are the questions you need to ask yourself before embarking on a siding installation project:
- What Is Your Budget?
Of course, your budget is an important factor before installing siding into your house. Without it, your plan will not proceed. Estimates can vary greatly depending on your choice of materials and your house size. Here are other questions you should ask yourself to estimate the cost of your siding installation project:
- Can your siding be repaired, or should it be replaced? Consider that there are additional costs whether you’re repairing or replacing your siding. Sometimes, the former is the best option, and a good contractor won’t push you to replace it if it’s unnecessary.
- Does your old siding have asbestos? For this, you need to hire a professional contractor to deal with this dilemma.
- What is the shape of your house? If your house is oddly-shaped – having more corners and stories, the trickier it is to install a siding.
- What Are The Design Options?
The appearance of your home can express a great deal about your style, your personality, and even your priorities as a homeowner. It can also add thousands to the value of your house. Installing a siding to your home can not only provide practical benefits to your home, but it can resolve your aesthetic concerns as well. Today’s siding technology provides you with countless options for color and style that’ll suit your tastes.
- Is It Energy-Efficient?
Living in places with extreme weather conditions can be a bit of a hassle because you need to invest in maintaining your house’s temperature all yearround. Heating and cooling equipment are known to spend more energy than most of all your appliances combined.
Installing a siding will help counter the heat lost or gained by air leaks, so your HVAC system won’t have to work harder to maintain the preferred temperature. By having a more tightly sealed home, you create the ideal conditions for your HVAC to operate with its peak efficiency.
But note that, on its own, a siding of any material can only provide so much insulation. You can check the R-value rating for energy efficiency so you can determine the level of insulation you’ll need beneath the siding. The higher the R-value of a siding material, the better the thermal insulation you’ll get.
- Does It Involve Regular Maintenance?
Installing a siding can be costly so you should be prepared to maintain it. Some materials deliver high-quality performance but others need constant care to remain viable. There are broad options for siding materials that are available in the market. Choosing one will depend on your budget or its functionality. These are some common materials used as sidings:
- Metal: This type of siding needs little maintenance and does good in locations with extreme conditions, like snow, sleet, ice, frost, wind. It can also help deter the pests that destroythe parts of your home made of wood.
- Vinyl: This material has various colors, so it can match any design.Vinyl is alsoAs it is lightweight, you can install it on top of existing materials. It’s known for being durable and water repellent. This needs very little to no maintenance.
- Wood: This material comes into two types: clapboards and shingles. Redwood and cedar are the most common type of wood used in this type of siding. Wood siding lasts long if it’s sealed with paint, varnish, or stains. But it must be reappliedeverythree to seven years depending on its condition and your environment.
- Brick: This type of siding is the most durable among these types. This makes them suitable for carrying heavier load because it’s much heavier than other types. It requires low maintenance so this is an excellent siding investment.
- Fiber Cement: It’s a material comprising of sand, wood pulp, clay, and cement. It’s versatile and can look like other materials. Aside from that, it doesn’t need that much maintenance.
- Aluminum: This type of siding is available for sale with either a smooth finish or a natural-looking wood grain finish. It must be repainted once the enamel coating faded, otherwise, it will corrode. It also has the tendency to become dented or scratched which can require repairs.
Final Thoughts
Choosing to install a siding in your house requires a considerable amount of planning and examining different factors. The amount of your budget is the first thing to consider because your money will mobilize your entire siding installation project. The design and the energy efficiency it will contribute to your home are also factors to be considered. The effort you’ll put into maintaining the siding should be examined too. In short, you should consider all the listed factors above to have your siding compatible with your preferred outcome.
