A Homeowner's Guide - Part 1: Shielding Your Home with New Siding

If your roof is designed to keep your home safe from whatever's coming from above, it's the siding that bears the brunt of external factors coming from the sides. Some of the things that threaten your siding include:

• Moisture - When it rains, it pours, and that means not one part of your home’s exterior is spared. Your siding in particular will be hard at work keeping rainwater from penetrating your home’s walls and inflicting moisture damage.
• Sunlight - Heat coming from the sun can also affect your home's overall energy efficiency by increasing the load on your HVAC. With energy-efficient siding, indoor temperature in your home is stabilized, counteracting the effects of excessive outdoor heat to keep you comfortable.
• Wind - Mild to moderate breezes may not be a major issue, but it's when the wind carries debris that it starts to become a threat to your home. Siding can serve as a barrier, absorbing impact from flying debris and minimizing overall damage.

Over time, these threats can cause your home’s siding to deteriorate, reducing its ability to protect your property, as well as affecting your home’s appearance. Signs of deterioration may vary depending on the dominant weather condition in your area but warping, brittleness and fading are common, aside from outright broken siding. Unfortunately, when signs of damage like these appear, it’s already too late for repairs.

Since siding replacement can be a significant investment, it’s important that you take your time in choosing the right siding material for your home. Even when you don’t have to work with a budget, opting for cost-effective siding is always a good idea because it assures that you’re getting your money’s worth. To find the right siding for you, take stock of your needs and don’t hesitate to ask a reputable siding expert in your area for assistance.

Aside from siding, windows also have a hand in protecting your home. Head on over to Part 2 of this blog series for some window replacement tips.