Siding elevates your home’s curb appeal, adding to its overall value. But it serves a more practical purpose as well, protecting your house from weather elements that can damage other parts of the structure.

Vinyl is a durable and affordable option, while wood adds an organic beauty to your home’s exterior cladding. Fiber cement siding, meanwhile, mimics the look of natural wood and can be painted with virtually any color for curb appeal. Contact Hawkins Siding And Exteriors now!

Siding protects your home from harsh weather conditions, such as heavy rain and strong winds, preventing moisture infiltration that can cause wood rot, mold and structural damage. It also guards against pests and insects, keeping your house safe and comfortable for you and your family. When properly maintained, siding can be an attractive and long-lasting addition to your property.

Modern sidings are designed to be more durable than traditional wood, reducing maintenance needs and keeping your home in top shape for years to come. For example, engineered wood combines the aesthetics of real wood with innovative engineering to improve durability. It’s treated with a zinc borate compound and resins, which helps it resist impact damage, fungal decay and termite attacks. Additionally, it’s coated with a waterproof sealant to help keep moisture out and reduce stains.

Brick exterior cladding is another beautiful and long-lasting option that adds value to your home. It’s highly resistant to fire and water, making it a great choice for homes in flood-prone areas. It is more expensive than other types of siding, however, and requires professional installation.

No matter which type of siding you choose, the most important thing is to maintain it regularly to prolong its life and ensure that it performs as well as possible. Visual inspections should be performed at least twice per year to identify any damage and repair it promptly before it becomes worse.

If you have wood siding, it should be stained or painted every four to six years. Be sure to use high-quality stain or paint that is designed for exterior conditions. The color should be tested in an inconspicuous area before applying it to the entire surface.

To make the cleaning process faster and easier, consider investing in a power washer to blast away dirt and grime. This can be especially helpful for those hard-to-reach nooks and crannies around your chimney, exhaust vents, and driveways. For stubborn stains, try using a solution of trisodium phosphate (TSP) and water. This product can be found at GNH Lumber, and it is recommended that you test a small amount of the cleaning solution in an inconspicuous area before applying to the entire surface.

Aesthetics

Siding has more than just a functional purpose—it’s also an important aesthetic component. Whether you are looking to jump-start your home’s curb appeal or want to boost its resale value, ensuring the siding you select matches the overall style of your house will go a long way in creating a cohesive design.

The good news is that modern sidings offer homeowners the opportunity to strike the perfect balance between durability and aesthetics. In addition to being highly weather-resistant, most of these materials are available in a variety of colors and textures that can complement almost any architectural design. In addition, they are often designed with a wide range of architectural styles in mind to make it easy for builders to add them to new construction and remodeling projects.

Among the most popular choices are vinyl, wood, and fiber cement. While vinyl offers a cost-effective option with a high level of durability, wood has an undeniable aesthetic allure and boasts natural insulation capabilities. In contrast, fiber cement has the ability to mimic the look of clapboard, shingles, or masonry and is resistant to termites and rot.

In the realm of aesthetics, siding’s texture plays a significant role in its overall look and feel. The use of different textures can add a sense of depth and visual interest, which is essential to enhancing the curb appeal of a house. Additionally, contrasting siding and trim colors can create an eye-catching contrast that can dramatically improve the overall appearance of your house.

While many homeowners tend to focus on the interiors of their homes when it comes to renovating, the exteriors are equally as important. Fortunately, modern sidings can enhance your property’s aesthetics, making it stand out from the rest and boosting its resale value.

Energy Efficiency

If you’re looking to boost your home’s energy efficiency, it is important to choose the right siding material. There are several options, including vinyl clapboards, synthetic composites and wood. Each one offers different design possibilities, allowing homeowners to achieve a variety of aesthetics from traditional to modern.

Regardless of the siding choice, it is vital to choose a product with an R-value that meets or exceeds your regional energy-efficiency requirements. The higher the R-value, the more efficient your siding will be. A high R-value will prevent unwanted heat from entering or exiting your home, reducing both heating and cooling costs. If you live in an area with hot summers, consider choosing a reflective coating that will reflect sunlight rather than absorbing it. This will reduce the amount of solar heat that enters your home and reduce energy costs.

The quality of your home’s insulation is also a critical factor in its energy efficiency. Poor insulation allows warm or cool air to escape, forcing your HVAC system to work harder to maintain a comfortable temperature. This results in higher energy bills. Investing in quality siding and insulation will minimize this loss, potentially saving you hundreds of dollars in utility costs every year.

A high R-value doesn’t just save money; it can also protect your family’s health. Poorly insulated homes can allow mold and mildew to grow, which can trigger asthma or other respiratory problems. In addition, cold or hot air can seep into the walls, making your home uncomfortable. In many cases, the air leakage is due to improper installation or inadequate insulation. A professional contractor will ensure that your new siding is properly installed and insulated, keeping your family safe and healthy.

In addition to the energy efficiency benefits of a well-insulated siding, it will increase your home’s value and curb appeal. Potential buyers will recognize the value of your house and be willing to pay more for it if it is energy-efficient. In addition, you may be able to take advantage of tax rebates and credits for choosing energy-efficient siding. With energy prices rising each year, a high-efficiency home will provide savings and comfort for years to come.

Maintenance

Siding enhances the visual appearance of a home and elevates its status in the neighborhood. It also serves to protect a house and everything inside it from extreme heat and cold, wind, rain and pests that can cause wood rot, mold and other structural damage. When a house’s siding is in need of repair or replacement, it is important to choose materials that are suited for the climate where the home is located, will stand up to the elements and fit into a homeowner’s budget.

There are a number of different types of siding to consider, from natural wood that needs the most upkeep to vinyl that can be installed and spruced up with a fresh coat of paint without requiring a total replacement. When choosing siding for a home, it is important to consider the landscaping and color schemes that will exist in the area as well to ensure that the color of a new piece of siding does not clash with the existing colors of houses and other buildings in the area.

When siding is being installed, it is important to work with experienced contractors who know how to properly handle the various types of materials used in the installation process to prevent issues such as moisture buildup and uneven alignment that can cause problems down the road. Likewise, regular maintenance conducted by experienced professionals can help to prolong the lifespan of a siding and maximize its energy efficiency benefits.

Backerboard is a panel that is nailed to the studs in a home’s exterior walls and allows for siding to be fastened to it. Laps are the edges where one siding panel meets another and is often cut at a 45 degree angle. Decorative trim is a strip of metal or wood that covers the gap where a gable meets the wall. A soffit is the underside of the roofline and often contains vents to allow air in while preventing water from entering a home.

Siding can attract a lot of dirt over the years, particularly on homes that are located along busy roads. Dirt can make light colored vinyl look dingy and mar darker colors of vinyl. Fortunately, it is easy to clean vinyl with a garden hose and a brush. In most cases, a fresh coat of paint will brighten up any shade of vinyl and help it to maintain its attractiveness.