Things to Consider Before Choosing Your Siding Materials

Siding article posted by: siding in Denver - article source: www.newsron.info

In choosing siding materials, the style or appearance usually tops the important list. Of course, this is because sidings are primarily installed to enhance the curb appeal of homes. Owners who want their homes to exude a rustic appeal go for siding types such as wood and cedar shingles. On the other hand, those who want to achieve a more modern look with less maintenance required prefer brick or stone and vinyl exteriors.

However, this home feature plays a lot of other important roles besides giving a more distinct look to houses. It can also improve insulation and energy efficiency of homes. Hence, it is a must to ensure that all important criteria are met before finally choosing the siding material to be installed. With that, this exterior home structure can effectively perform its function, and owners can avoid frequent repairs and replacements.

According to expert home builders, appearance is just one factor of the equation. They added that consumers also have to take architectural value, cost, maintenance, installation requirements, and reparability into consideration. Durability is surely a key factor in determining architectural value. It is not enough that a home exterior looks good and appropriate. Their resistance against damages is also essential to reduce costs of repairs and replacements in the future.

Also part of architectural worth is the appearance that a certain siding material can provide. With this, color, texture, and overall style must work together to wrap a home in one cohesive and harmonious look. Related to this is of course, the cost. In choosing exterior types, homeowners need to think about material and labor costs; logically, more intricate items are more expensive and typically require higher service costs from siding contractors because of a more complicated installation processes.

One good material that reliable siding contractors can recommend is vinyl siding. Such variant can grant homes with both beauty and affordability. Because of that, it has been the most common siding material in North America. This item costs far less than other types yet still provides an appealing look with its different colors, shapes, and other specialty options.

Above all, vinyl siding can be easily installed, repaired, and preserved. Because of that, home owners can save a significant amount from labor and repair costs. Such material is easy to clean and does not require regular repaint jobs. For other favorable exterior variants, homeowners can go for Hardie siding installation options available online.

If you have questions, please visit us at http://www.LakesideExteriors.com for complete details and answers.

A Guide to Repairing Vinyl Siding

Here is a great article about repairing your siding yourself.  A basic "do-it-yourself" guide to repairing your own siding written by Judy Wellsworth.  Its a great read and really makes the process seem pretty easy which in reality it is.

This article is a 'Do It Yourself' Guide to Repairing Vinyl Siding. It talks about all the requirements to perform the repair. It is a step by step guide to the process. Cracks can sometimes occur in vinyl siding if it's struck while temperatures are low. Wait until spring to initiate the repair. If your siding has been cracked or punctured, or has pulled away from the house, you may need to initiate a repair.

In case you cannot identify the portion of the siding that has been damaged, before you start the repair, I would strongly recommend that you visit a professional and ask him for his help. This will only make sure that in the process of repair, you don't end up damaging parts of the siding that wasn't damaged.

User Guide to Repair One's Vinyl Siding
Once you have identified the damaged piece and are sure that you want to 'do-it-yourself', you will need:
- A new section that matches the damaged section exactly
- A special "zipper" to separate the panels
- Polyurethane caulking
- A utility knife
- A carpenter's square
- A pencil
- Tin snips or a backsaw

Your work will go more easily for you if you initiate the repair when it's warm outside; it'll be easier to manipulate the vinyl if it is flexible. Don't try anything if there is a layer of ice on the siding. It will shatter into pieces if you do so.

Repair your Vinyl Siding
To start the repair, use the zipper to unlock the panel next to or above the damaged one. Lift it up and pry out the nails that hold the damaged panel in place.

Mark cutting lines on each side of the damaged area using a carpenter's square and pencil.
Cut the panel along the lines with tin snips or a backsaw and remove the damaged section.
Cut a replacement piece 2 inches longer than the section you just removed to allow for a 1-inch overlap on each end. (Cut only 1 inch longer if the damaged section ends at a corner or joint.)
Snap the top edge of the new section in place and nail it with aluminum box nails long enough to penetrate 1 inch into the studs. Using the zipper, snap in the other edge. This will mark the end of the repair and it will look new.

Vinyl Siding Repairs on holes:
To perform this, you need to take a small piece of vinyl siding and place it from behind the puncture. Place the punctured siding on a flat surface and then place the siding from the back and fix them together with cement and glue. Once you have done this, the process of repair has come to and end and you don't need to worry about those holes been seen by guests who visit your house.

You can also find more info on traditional wood siding and siding hardboard siding. Homesidingreview.com is a comprehensive resource to know more about home siding review.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Judy_Wellsworth

Painting Your Metal Siding

Posted by: Denver siding

Painting metal and aluminum siding can become a nightmare if not done right. Over the years I have worked on and repaired many homes with metal siding. Metal siding is real common in mobile homes. Most older mobile homes use aluminum paneling for their exterior siding.

Most painted metal siding seems to last at least 20 years. The reason for this is the paint is baked on in a factory giving it a high quality and nice looking surface. This baked on method is used for painting aluminum and most metals siding that gives the product a long life.

I lived in a mobile home park for a few years and my next door neighbor's mobile home had never been painted and was over 45 years old. He would go out and washed the mobile home once a year with some TSP soap while using a brush on the end of an extension pole to clean the home.

His mobile home might not have looked brand new but it was definitely in great shape. Over the years he had developed a few scratches and some dirt that was hard to wash off but that was about the extent of the damage to the painted metal siding.

Well we painted our mobile home and used an expensive metal primer along with some expensive paint from Dunn Edwards & Co... This paint worked great. We lived there for around four years and never had any problems once the home was painted. Having been in the construction business I knew we had to use a good metal paint primer in order for the paint to stick to the baked on paint process for the metal siding to look good.

Here's my advice to you when painting metal siding.

1. Make sure the metal siding is clean. Use TSP soap along with a scrub brush and scrub that baby clean. The cleaner the metal surface the better the new paint primer will stick or adhere to the old paint.

2. Follow the instructions carefully on the paint primer can when applying the primer. Do not paint below or above the recommended paint temperatures.

3. Make sure you explain to the paint salesman at whatever store you're in that you are going to be painting metal siding. Get the right paint primer.

Pick the right vinyl siding

When it comes to any home building decisions, most homeowners take aesthetics, durability, and cost into account. Deciding on siding is no different. Vinyl siding comes from many manufacturers with different qualities. After quality of the siding product, the professionalism of the Denver siding company is the next most important, because you want the materials to be installed right, and have the peace of mind in knowing that the company will fix any problems they may cause.

Even within the same vinyl siding company, there is significant variation among products. The most important aspect is panel thickness. Vinyl is a very weather resistant material. It is also flexible, and installing siding that is too thin may result in being able to see the wall underneath poking through. I have also witnessed many instances of Denver vinyl siding being punctured relatively easily. The material survives weather well, but physical wear and tear can destroy vinyl quickly, especially if it is of the thinner variety. Only a tenth of an inch more can make a great difference with vinyl, so ask your Denver vinyl siding company for a cost breakdown for an upgrade. Upgrading the quality or thickness of the material should not cost all that much more overall.

Vinyl siding made by cheap companies sometimes stiffens with age, which can lead to cracks. If you pick a smaller company and a unique color, you may be in for some major problems if the siding gets damages and you want a localized replacement. The probability that the same company is still carrying a matching replacement is not so good. So most siding contractors recommend you pick a trusted company in simple colors and design.

The upside of vinyl siding is that it is very clean. Its flexibility allows the builder a lot of room for creating beauty. The range of choices allows vinyl siding to be used in many different architectural building types. Vinyl is the most sold siding because of its weather durability. Rain, salty air, and snow just run off it, and vinyl never needs painting. In fact, it cannot be painted, because liquids just run off. To clean just wash it down with soapy water annually.

Buying a home with failing siding

Siding is often touted by the manufacturer as lasting forever and being maintenance free. Many homeowners have discovered that this is plainly untrue. Failing siding is a problem because it is hard to know when you need a  fix and when you need a replacement.

Especially in the case of faux wood siding which is made from plywood, many Denver siding companies suggest the removal and replacement of plywood siding. If plywood gets water inside it, the glue holding the wood chips together starts to break down. The water also causes it to swell, further damaging the plywood integrity. Eventually this kind of siding will just crumble. The outside may still be painted and fairly even, but the inside is falling apart. As the structure looses integrity, you may notice the walls bow or pit. From the outside, the color may seem good. From far away, rotting siding looks normal, but as you approach you may notice characteristic warping and uneven surfaces caused by the siding changing shape as it falls apart. The deceptive part is that while the siding still looks serviceable, your home interior could already be sustaining damage.

Damaged siding also damages the home. The point of siding is to protect the interior. Water especially will cause rotting pretty quickly if left on wood framing. Other building materials are not immune. As the water gets in, insulation rots and even HVAC duct work can be damages. Some quality companies that do siding in Denver refuse to install plywood siding because of its failure track record.

Furthermore, some siding companies suggest your replace a new home's siding with Denver vinyl siding. If you are purchasing a home that has plywood siding, you have to realize that you will have to deal with failing siding eventually. Some mortgage companies also know of the problem and will not lend until the siding issues are resolved. If you are getting financing, you may not have a choice on whether or not you need to repair the siding because the building will not pass inspection.

Once you buy a home, your homeowners insurance might be cheaper if you have a strong and low maintenance siding installed. Remember homeowners insurance only pays for natural disasters and acts of god, not poor construction choices.

Window Efficiency Basics

Windows that are certified as efficient by the The National Fenestration Rating Council are proven to reduce energy consumption. Windows with a u-factor of 0.3 or less may qualify for federal tax rebates. This credit will cover 30% of cost for approved windows. If you are ordering replacement windows Denver, the additional cost to make sure the windows meet federal guidelines is only around $15 per window.   These can be ordered straight from the manufacturer with low-e coatings that reflect heat. Strategically place these windows to stop overheating in summer.

Some states have an additional bonus funded by a public charge on utility bills. Oregon's fund is called Energy trust, and will pay $2 per square foot of energy efficient windows when the windows are coupled with other energy saving moves. Qualifying moves include sealing leaks or adding insulation. Oregon averaged a return of $400 per customer per year for meeting energy standards. Other states have trusts that will distribute bonuses from major energy companies to Denver windows contractors. Visit energytrust.org to see an example of these services.


To determine if windows or other energy saving investments should be made, you can run an energy audit on your home. These audits cost around $500 and will result in a prioritized list of actions with ROI figures. High tech infrared imaging can be used to find leaks and the overall heat signature of a property. Color changes in walls indicate poor installation of insulation. Depending on your state, an energy audit may be required to recoup energy rebates. Denver windows also need to be double pane to protect from winter storms.

To go all-out consider triple pane windows. These have really caught on in colder climates, where inert gas fillers make the windows almost as heat resistant as walls. Some triple pane manufacturers claim a U-value of 0.2 or less. The cost of these windows is significantly more than both single and double pane windows. Homes are already being marketed by energy savings caused by windows, especially in Europe. Adds touting Green Leed certification are popular and valuable.

Saving Money on Windows

Calculate the cost-savings from installing new windows. Windows leaks are the primary cost associated with heating or cooling a building, but replacement windows cost a significant amount. To determine if you are using this money in the most effective way, you need to find how much your energy efficient windows will really save.
A new factor to the equation is certain federal tax credits for energy efficient improvements. Replacement windows Denver can earn you up to a $1,500 tax credit, which is almost guaranteed to pay for the windows without accounting for additional energy savings. To make sure your heater is not on all the time from drafts (which will call for a furnace repair service quickly) you need to install air-tight windows. In an age where people are turning off the lights and pinching pennies, it makes not sense to be loosing hundreds or thousands on the utility bill. The first step in a green home is efficient sealant from outside air, which is what Denver windows are for.

To take advantage of these federal tax credits, make sure you build during specified times. Both Colorado state and the federal government have programs that may end soon. Do not be intimidated by new technologies like triple pane windows with low e coatings. These windows are just designed to be sturdy and out preform standard glass panes. Not only do these new windows insulate for extreme temperature changes, they also do a good job at muffling sound. Metal and vinyl windows do not have expected maintenance costs from mold and swelling associated with water damage.

Although windows are a good place to start, any large air leak will also cause major gouging to your energy bill. Sealing leaks around pipes and adding insulation is another way you can try and save money.

For high end custom replacement windows Denver, the payback time may be over 10 years because of the high initial cost. Wood is the best insulator, but it costs more than twice vinyl and aluminum.

Although windows are often given more blame for drafts than they actually cost, single pane windows can create convection currents around the high temperature difference at the glass pane. In the short term, wearing   a sweater is the cheapest alternative, but for home improvement investments take the window installation.