Did you know that just like your skin, your home can suffer from UV damage? The harmful effects of the sun’s rays cause discoloration, weathering, and cracking that’s just as detrimental to your home as to your body. It can hasten the effects of aging and reduce your home’s attractiveness. Even if you can’t see the damage on the outside, UV degradation can worsen the expansion and contraction of wood siding, window frames, and shutters and weaken the structure of vinyl siding. But there’s good news: sunscreen can help protect both your face and your place.
The Advantages of New vs. Traditional Siding
Traditional wood siding is highly susceptible to moisture, insects, and weather, especially sunlight. Wood siding will fade and discolor from UV exposure. Vinyl siding is more durable and weather resistant, but over time, exposure to the sun breaks down the resins in the dye, resulting in a chalky residue on the vinyl’s surface and fading of the color.
More and more homeowners are moving away from wood siding and replacing it with new, advanced vinyl siding options, EMCO steel siding, fiber cement siding, stone, or brick. Vinyl siding is a smart choice for several reasons:
- It doesn’t absorb moisture, so it won’t rot or harbor mold.
- It is easy to maintain and clean.
- It is available in a wide range of fashionable colors and styles.
- It is affordable and economical.
In fact, vinyl has been the number one exterior wall material in the U.S. for 18 years. More than 8 million homes have been built during that time using vinyl siding as the primary exterior material! Older vinyl siding, however, was very susceptible to wind and impact damage, only available in limited colors, and could fade, crack, and split due to UV exposure.
A New Kind of Vinyl Siding
Today’s vinyl siding is manufactured much differently than older vinyl siding, using different manufacturing processes, materials, and technology. This new siding is lighter, more flexible, more resistant to damage, and better insulating. Plus, to protect from the harmful effects of UV rays, most contain titanium dioxide – one of the main sun-blocking ingredients in sunscreen and cosmetics. It works just the same in vinyl siding, reflecting harmful UV radiation away from the surface and preventing damage.
One of these modern siding options is the #1 recommended siding available today, CedarMAX. This insulated siding saves money and energy and keeps your home more comfortable during extreme weather and temperatures. It features Tri-Pigment Reflective Technology, a precise formulation of heat-resistant, inorganic pigments that produce rich, deep color. It also reflects heat away from exterior walls and deflects damaging UV rays, reducing solar heat build-up and all the negative effects of UV exposure. On the product’s surface, a concentration of anti-weathering and weather-resistant materials called Weather Barrier Shield with SPX-2000 UV helps ensure your home looks good with minimal maintenance for years to come. CedarMAX is also five times more impact resistant than hollow siding, providing the home with extra protection against hail, debris, and other weather-related damage.
Another industry leader in low-maintenance vinyl siding is Mastic, which offers 365 color options with UV-resistant technology. Their colors are guaranteed not to fade; they offer a best-in-class limited lifetime warranty with an industry-exclusive performance promise against fade and heat distortion. In addition to standard vinyl siding, Mastic also produces insulated vinyl siding made of recycled content bonded to expanded polystyrene (EPS) foam.
Should You Replace Your Siding?
You should inspect your siding annually for cracked seals, dents, missing or damaged panels or boards, and other issues. Moisture seeping under the siding and in through cracks can cause costly damage to your home and can foster the growth of dangerous mold.
If you need siding services in or around Huxley, Ames, or Ankeny, be sure to book an appointment soon! Hedrick Construction provides a variety of different quality siding products, including vinyl siding and EMCO steel siding, in Ankeny and surrounding areas. Whether you are looking for an inspection, siding replacement, or siding installation, we have you covered. Give us a call (515-597-7663) or fill out our online form to let us know how we can serve you!
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