What factors play into your selection of the best vinyl siding for your Indianapolis-area home? Sure, you want the new siding to fit your budget. But is that all? What about the quality of the siding and your personal taste? What about choosing the contractor, and fitting the installation into your busy schedule? Here is how to choose the best vinyl siding for your home, your lifestyle, and your bank balance.
Good, Better, Best
Not all vinyl siding is equal. Some vinyl siding is thin and made with high recycled content (which can lead to weakness). Some high-quality, long-lasting vinyl siding is thick, made only with what the industry calls “virgin vinyl,” and is (admittedly) a bit pricey.
Can your siding contractor present a compromise between thin and thick, short-lived and long-lasting? What other features should you discuss when selecting a siding material and a siding contractor?
- Thickness — A typical sheet of copy paper in your home printer is about 0.004 inches, or four-thousandths of an inch thick; vinyl siding can be as thin as 0.035 inches (yes, thirty-five thousandths, or about 9 sheets of paper!) up to 0.055 inches, a far stronger product.
- Source — Some vinyl siding is 100 percent new vinyl, “virgin vinyl,” though most siding has a core of recycled, remelted vinyl top-coated with virgin vinyl; talk with your siding contractor about the cost differences and possible sacrifices in going with a vinyl siding with a high recycled content, since you are helping the environment but may be sacrificing structural integrity and color-fastness.
- Profile — The depth of a piece of vinyl siding and its thickness allow the manufacturer to provide various profiles and textures; only the higher quality, thicker material will hold deep, dramatic profiles to help boost curb appeal and add value to your home.
- Method of Manufacture — Typically, vinyl siding is extruded through a metal die, producing long, uniform pieces that simulate shallow wood grain and other materials; the deepest, crispest profiles and appearances come only from molding in polypropylene molds, which add significantly to manufacturing costs but produce stunning results.
- Maintenance — Ask your siding contractor about the siding’s maintenance needs; unlike wood, you will never have to strip paint from vinyl siding, but care must be taken when cleaning it, and some brands may offer greater resistance to algae and mold than other brands.
- Color Choice — Just about every manufacturer offers the earth tones and neutral house colors long popular with Indianapolis homeowners; bold or bright siding may only be available in a higher price line.
- Color Fastness — Vinyl siding got a poor reputation decades ago for its tendency to fade, deform, even melt under strong sunlight; no more! Siding can have color infused into the vinyl itself, or have the color baked on in multiple coats in the factory, but this is a vital feature to ask your siding contractor about.
- Warranties — Only the best manufacturers offer the strongest warranties, and often only to a select group of installers and contractors; be sure to work with a high-quality contractor with access to good warranties.
Back It Up
Quality vinyl siding needs two things behind it: good insulation and a great installer. Some vinyl siding goes directly over existing insulation board and house wrap; it adds little to your home’s energy envelope. Other siding has foam insulation on its back surface and really boosts energy efficiency.
Expect to pay more for vinyl siding that adds serious R-value to your home, but also expect to see your energy bills shrink once the siding is installed. Who installs it? For just about any home project, the contractor is as important as the material.
Seek out a reputable, local siding contractor with years of experience in the Indianapolis area. Find an installer who can provide customer testimonials, a gallery of work, and a solid company ethos. Always work with a contractor providing a local address and proper licensing.
A truly great contractor will start any discussion of siding by listening. What are your needs? What is your budget? What are your goals? Do you plan to resell the house in five years, ten years? Do you want a color to make your house stand out or one that blends into your surroundings? Is maintenance or energy efficiency more important?
No single vinyl siding product will check every box for you; you need to trust your reliable siding contractor to help you find the best siding for your needs, finances, and future plans. In the greater Indianapolis area, Moss Roofing is your trusted, local provider of exterior services, including siding and roofing. Please contact us today to allow us to assist you in selecting the ideal siding for your home. We respect your time, taste, and budget.
