We have touched on a number of different things in our previous posts. This one is focusing on vinyl siding.

Vinyl siding: good, bad or ugly?

Vinyl siding can be all of the above. I’d like to explore each possibility individually. We can get the worst out of the way first. Note that the quality of your materials and correct installation solve 99% of any possible cosmetic issues.

Vinyl siding: the ugly!

If you can’t immediately envision an ugly siding job, take a look around the next time you go for a drive. Ithaca, Syracuse, and Rochester are no exceptions to shoddy craftsmanship. They each have their fair amount of poorly installed vinyl siding, just like anywhere.

One common cause of ugly vinyl siding is ripples in the panels. This is caused by over driving the nails attaching to your wall, or stretching panels up and down, forcing the lines to match another section of wall. Cheap vinyl siding also can be chalky and look faded after a few years, if the color isn’t injected into the panel’s material, instead of being applied on top of it.

Anyone can do a vinyl siding installation. It takes real experience and skill to make it look good, however. Only then will your money be well spent.

Vinyl Siding: the bad!

Vinyl siding likes to expand. Most people, and contractors for that matter, think it’s “side to side” expansion and contractions on the panels. While that is true to a certain extent, the majority of expansion is downward. This is why you may notice unclipped or missing sections of siding in the middle of a wall, upon closer inspection. If you don’t snap a piece of siding completely when nailing, the paneling can expand downward and become unsnapped.

Vinyl siding doesn’t like impact. If you have a lot of small stones, sticks, kid’s toys, etc., and hit them with a mower, chances are you are going to have holes or cracks in your siding. This can be prevented by buying thicker panels and/or aiming the mower chute away from your house. Expect baseballs, car doors, and golf balls to do damage if in close contact with your home.

THE GRILL:

Guys: Keep your grill a safe distance away from vinyl siding! I once saw a place in Syracuse that had experienced the effects of a grill located slightly too close to the house, the results weren’t pretty.

Vinyl Siding: the good.

Vinyl is final!

If you use a good quality siding on your home, you can eliminate most problems mentioned above.

You no longer have to paint your home. Vinyl siding is virtually maintenance free. A high quality vinyl siding job can increase your home’s value by more than the cost of the job itself, in some cases.

It increases the “R” value of your home, as well as stopping drafts. This is increasingly true if you use an insulated vinyl siding.

Add style: there are many trim accessories you can choose from, these will allow you to change the entire exterior style of your home, if you choose to.

Curb appeal is priceless. If you really want your neighbors to take notice of your home, new siding is an easy way to get there.

In closing:

If you choose a nice quality vinyl siding, and use a skilled, conscientious installer, vinyl siding can add value to your home that is difficult to beat.