While it is great to have choices, sometimes it can be confusing when you are thinking about improvements for your home. There are many options for any project that you want to do with your home and when it comes to siding, people often get stuck trying to figure out whether they want aluminum siding of vinyl siding. In this article, we are going to talk about whether vinyl siding or aluminum siding is better for your home.
Which is Better? Vinyl or Aluminum?
There are many factors that will play into which of these options are the best for your home. Aluminum can be a good choice for your home depending on the location, but as with anything else there are going to be pros and cons that you will find as you are working through the decision process.
Understanding each of the pros and cons for aluminum siding and vinyl siding is important. If you are thinking about aluminum siding repair, the following information will be helpful as you are going through the decision process. It may be helpful to get a sheet of paper to write down the pros and cons that you find so that you can have a visual aid to understanding what will work best for you and for your home.
Pros & Cons of Aluminum Siding
The first thing you should know is that not all aluminum siding is created equally. The thickness of your siding has a lot to do with its quality. If you get cheap siding it is only about 0.4 thick and you may hear it referred to as 40-gauge aluminum. The standard quality is 44 gauge but if you want the best siding, you will purchase 53-gauge siding. It may be more expensive but it is going to last longer than other siding. However, it may require painting two to three times during its lifetime in order to keep it looking new.
You can get both vertical and horizontal format which gives you freedom of creating the appearance you want for your home. It is light and easy to install which means it may be less expensive to install, at least in regard to labor costs. If you live on the coast, it is a great choice since there is a lot of moisture and salt spray. While wood and some other siding products absorb moisture, you won’t deal with that with aluminum. It is actually completely waterproof and gives your home great protection against moisture problems.
Homeowners living in extremely cold areas may find aluminum to be a better choice than vinyl because it is not affected by the elements. Aluminum also great in moderate and warm climates, as is insect proof and fire resistant. You may be able to get a lower rate on your house owners insurance because of it.
Some of the drawbacks of aluminum siding are the susceptibility of aluminum to dents, scratches and other damage. If you have to replace a single panel or a section of the panels, this can be difficult because of the manner of installation, as well as the challenge of matching the color. You may have to re-paint your whole house if you want it to match.
Pros & Cons of Vinyl Siding
Vinyl siding is made from PVC plastic resin and this is why it is so strong. Unlike aluminum, vinyl is not going to rust, dent or conduct electricity. If your kids hit a baseball into the side of your house, it is going to bounce off the siding. It is rain, sun and wind resistant so you don’t have to worry about it wearing down and fading in the elements. It won’t be affected by air pollution or humidity. Since it is so long-lasting, you may be able to keep your vinyl siding as is for 40 years without noticing a major difference in the look of it.
Make sure to ask about the manufacturer’s guarantee. Besides for all of these benefits, you are not going to experience sticker shock. This man-made material is one of the cheapest around. This material is quick, easy and does not require a lot of maintenance.
When you are picking out your vinyl siding, you will notice there are many different designs, colors and styles available. No matter what color you want, you can get it since you can ask it to be produced in any shade that you want. While vinyl siding gives you the durability and other great properties of plastic, you can get it to imitate the look of wood. Many people love the look of wood grain, but would rather have vinyl and this is a great solution.
You can get vinyl siding that comes in different clapboard width, vertical and horizontal styles and even different textures depending on whether you want smooth or wood grain. You may be surprised to find out that it is very elastic so you can get the look that you want for your home. You might even be able to work with the manufacturer to coordinate with other products in the system.
Some of the cons for vinyl siding are the fact that it is not fully impenetrable. If a lawn mower grazes it, it may get chewed up and damaged. High winds can also take down vinyl siding if it isn’t properly secured. There is also no patchwork that can be done. You have to replace entire panels. If it is not properly installed, it may leak and cause the siding to be vulnerable.
Conclusion
You have to decide which siding is going to be the best for you, and you should certainly weigh both options before making a decision. Use the information in this article as a basis for your decision process.
Was this article helpful and informative? What kind of siding do you currently have on your house? What are the factors that would most affect your decision to switch? Leave us a comment with your thoughts in the section below.