What are the pros and cons of vinyl siding?
September 7, 2010 by
Filed under vinyl siding
Do you have vinyl siding on your house? Do you like it?
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9 Responses to “What are the pros and cons of vinyl siding?”Speak Your Mind
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easy to clean
never have to paint
takes lil work to fix
one problem is nature does its damage on it and will need replaceing after 5 or 6 years dipending on the area you live in
but that in bad weather areas
For the Pro. Nobody is going to steal it for scrap metal.
For the con. it fades in time in the sun.
I installed it for years.
The pros it is cheaper , it is pretty , it makes a ugly house beautiful and ready for a quick sale.
The cons Vinyl is crap , after a few years it sags ,gets brittle and is very easily damaged.
other than that it is wonderful it you like to throw your money away.
Vinyl siding is very easy to clean and very durable, but it can make your home look a bit chincy if you don’t go for the seamless.
Vinyl is cheap. It does fade a bit, but generally you don’t really notice. It is easy to install.
But…
(1) It expands and contracts A LOT. The more extreme the temperatures, the more it does this. That makes it not so great for windows (which leak when it shrinks and stick when it expands). It also can leave gaps in the wall covering if installed incorrectly.
(2) It moves. That means it makes noise on the house. Your house will rattle some in the wind.
(3) You don’t have to paint it, but you do have to wash it. At least every other year.
(4) It melts. Don’t put the grill too close to it. My neighbor melted some of my siding by installing a domed skylight that focussed a beam of sunlight on my house. (They later removed it when we figured out what it was doing).
(5) It isn’t strong. In some places, they don’t install plywood sheeting under it. You need that. If all you have is foam board under it, lawnmower rocks (and tornado debris) enter through the wall at high speed.
Pro’s: Easy to install
Inexpensive
Will not dent
Damaged pieces are easily replaced
Cons: Becomes brittle with time
Colors will fade
Expands and contracts with temperature change so it
is installed loose to allow for movement thus does not
provide protection from air infiltration. And may rattle
in the wind.
As a contractor I’ve installed a lot. Don’t care for it personsally.
Vinyl siding is cheap – and looks cheap. When cold, it will snap when hit with a child’s ball or some similar projectile, or when bumped with a lawn mower, for instance. The only advantage I see is that you can put it up and walk away; it needs no painting.
Only con I have found is cost.
Pros:
It is durable
It is easily cleaned with a power sprayer
Try the thermo backed insulated panels (comes on most) and it will be more energy efficient.
no painting
keeps more bugs out
looks nicer
hides termite activty