Vinyl Siding in Midlothian, Virginia: The Pros and Cons

When it comes to trying to make your home's exterior as aesthetically pleasing as possible, there is an almost infinite amount of creative options for you to choose from… ya know, while the house is actually being constructed. But what about post construction? As is often the case for many of us, we have moved into a pre-built home and never had a say in the construction of the house. We do have some options still. We can pay an arm and a leg and have the house’s exterior completely renovated. This would in fact give it a brand new look, but then you have to deal with the headache of the demolition and construction process, along with possibly having to hire multiple contractors for multiple different jobs. However, there are one or two easy ways to quickly and effectively upgrade your home's exterior. The first of which is a brand new roof, and the second, more noticeable and far less expensive way would be, you guessed it, to install vinyl siding. What is Vinyl Siding? Vinyl Siding, by definition of is, “plastic exterior siding for houses and small apartment buildings, used for decoration and weatherproofing, imitating wood clapboard, board and batten or shakes, and used instead of other materials such as aluminum or fiber cement siding… engineered primarily from polyvinyl chloride (PVC) resin…” In short, Vinyl siding is a PVC alternative to traditional wood siding. Why Go With Vinyl Siding? Many people have started to make the switch from wooden clapboard siding to the newer modern vinyl siding. There are a few key reasons as to why they do this, and they are as follows: It Costs Less- Vinyl siding, on average is going to cost you around $2 a square foot, while wooden siding costs anywhere in the ballpark of $7 a square foot. It's Versatile- Vinyl siding comes in a plethora of different colors and styles. You can get vinyl siding in different textures now too, some even mimic wood grain so well, it is hard to tell the difference unless you touch it! It's Low Maintenance- The vinyl siding is one of the most easy things to maintain on the outside of your home, as all you have to do to care for it is spray it down with a power washer. Contrary to wooden siding, which when it got too dirty or the paint would chip, you'd have to sand it all down to the base wood, re-primer it and then paint it again. Installation is Easy- Compared to wooden siding, which had to be nailed into the house and perfectly lined up with itself, vinyl siding has a method called tongue and groove, which allows for all of the pieces to be inserted into one another, leading to a more streamlined look and painless installation. It's Durable- Compared to wood, vinyl has more bend to it, allowing for it to be harder to chip or crack. Vinyl is also just overall stronger, being able to withstand strong winds and deter scratches easier. Added Curb Appeal- Vinyl siding is a huge investment for your home as well. It is projected that you get around 73% of your investment back when selling your home, which is a huge margin! It Can Save You Money on Heating and Cooling- When properly installed, vinyl siding can add an extra layer of insulation to your home. It will keep the warm air out during the summer and the heat in during winter. Both scenarios save you a decent amount of money in both cooling and heating bills, respectively. Vinyl Siding Installation Process: Vinyl siding is a great way to liven up your home exterior, but it comes with some challenges. One of those being that most contractors don't have the proper training and certification for installing vinyl quickly or tightly which means you could be spending more money on problems down the line because installation quality matters just as much if not more than anything else when considering long-term durability. Since most manufacturers' warranties only last one year after installation, it is crucial that your siding is installed properly. Too much nail pressure, and it could cause the sides of the vinyl to bow and bulge out, creating gaps. These gaps can and will catch the wind during intense storms and could crack or break off your siding. If your siding isn't nailed in enough however, the siding will have a weak hold to the house and leave a gap, which can allow for moisture to become trapped in the siding and cause damage, resulting in an increased risk for your siding to detach from your home. Everyone here at Stone Creek Exteriors is trained in and very proficient in installing vinyl siding, so you will never have to worry about quality issues. Cons of Vinyl Siding: There aren't many cons when it comes to vinyl siding, though there are some. Vinyl siding, especially the darker colors of vinyl siding, tend to fade after long exposure to direct sunlight. Another con is that unlike wood siding, vinyl siding is not as forgiving when it comes to punctures. If you were mowing your lawn, and a pebble went flying into your wooden siding, it might lodge into or leave a small dent, which could be sanded out and painted over to seal it again. However, if the same were to happen to vinyl siding, there is a good chance that it may just crack your siding, or punch a hole through it. If this were to happen, you would have to replace the entire panel, as you cannot patch vinyl siding. Decision Time: With the pros and cons of vinyl siding layed out, you are now hopefully able to make the decision as to if you would like to choose wood or vinyl siding. Whatever your choice may be, please make sure to contact us at Stone Creek Exteriors to meet with one of our professionals, and let us further assist you in your siding installation in Midlothian, VA.