Whether you’re replacing your old siding or choosing siding for your new home, the siding products you choose matter a great deal. Siding materials range in look, style, maintenance needs, and durability, and the right or wrong choice can and will affect the value of your property for years to come.
So what is best when choosing siding for your home? At Smart Exteriors, we know how siding materials are and how intimidating it can be for homeowners trying to make the right decision. Finding the right choice requires a bit of exploration into the world of siding to evaluate each option available to you—while measuring the pros and cons of each type against your personal needs, style preferences, and budget.
In this article, we’re going over some of the factors to consider when choosing siding for your home. We’ll also offer some suggestions as to which types of siding are ideal in certain situations, to help you prepare yourself for making the right decision.
The Architecture and Design of Your Home Exterior
As we mentioned before, your home’s siding should match the overall style of your home. Siding is one of the most dramatic ways to change the look of a house, which is why it’s so important that the decision you make is one you can live with for decades. Siding that disrupts the décor of a home exterior or that fails to accentuate its natural design can be very detrimental to the value of your property, as it can severely detract from its curbside appeal.
When interviewing a home remodeling company, you should always make sure that they are willing to go the extra mile by offering design advice from an expert. A design consultant will go over siding choices with you that complement your home’s architectural design and style and your personal preferences for your home. No matter the style of your home, there are countless options available when it comes to design—and your consultant should be able to find the perfect siding choice that transforms your home into a more beautiful place to live.
Your Geographical Climate
The climate and geographical region you live should play an important part when determining the best choice of siding for your home. Certain siding materials perform better in certain areas of the country, while others perform worse under the same conditions. Here’s a quick list to help guide you in making the right decision based on your own geographical location and climate conditions:
- Northeast Climate: If you live in the Northeastern part of the US, your climate is characterized by freezing cold winters and semi-humid, mild summers. You will need a siding that protects well against ice storms, hail, and other extreme winter weather.
- West Coast: If you live on the West Coast, especially in Northern California, Oregon, and Washington state—wet winters and rainstorms are the norms. The further south you travel, however, the drier and hotter it gets throughout the year. In these cases, you’ll either want to choose a siding that’s waterproof and can hold up through all the rain, or a siding that won’t melt in the hot heat of the summer. If you’re living right on the coast, you’ll also want to consider siding that performs well in the salty ocean air.
- Midwest: Midwestern residents need to consider siding materials engineered for hot and humid summers and long, cold winters. Living in the Midwest means looking into a very versatile and durable siding choice to handle the extreme temperatures and intense storms that happen throughout the year.
- Southeast: In the Southeast, residents are familiar with hot, muggy summers and mild winters. They’ll also need to consider hurricanes and severe rain and thunderstorms when choosing their siding if they’re living near the coast.
Fire-Resistant Siding
While all homeowners benefit from fire-resistant siding materials, those living in some parts of the country will need to take fireproofing their homes more seriously than others. For example, homeowners living in the hills of Southern California know that wildfires are a huge concern—and won’t risk buying siding that isn’t specifically engineered to resist flames.
While vinyl and wood siding is not recommended in these conditions, as wood can burn easily while vinyl will melt and warp in high temperatures, fiber cement, engineered wood, and steel siding can be excellent choices. It’s also important to note that wood and vinyl can be applied with a special treatment that will help the material become more fire-resistant. This also means repeated applications and extra costs, as the finish will wear off after a while.
Comparing Costs
It’s clear that not all siding choices are the same when it comes to cost, and some materials naturally cost more than others. The exact cost of your siding will depend on a variety of factors, including the size of your home and the area where you live, and it’s important to consider your budget when making your decision.
The cheapest and most affordable siding for homeowners is vinyl at just $6-$9 per square foot, at least when it comes to installation. Long-term costs, however, can be higher—as vinyl is less durable than other options and won’t last as long before needing replacement.
Wood siding can seem like a great deal, costing a range of $7-$12 per square foot and lasting up to 100 years or longer—which is more than double the lifespan of fiber cement ($10-12 per square foot, lasting up to 50 years or longer) or aluminum ($12-$15 per square foot, also lasting up to 50 years or longer). It can also last two to four times longer than vinyl—which can last just twenty to thirty years. However, the cost of maintaining wood siding is something you’ll need to consider, as repairs, maintenance, and other concerns can mean paying much more over the years if you want your siding to last that long.
Engineered wood, however, is another exceptional option. Costing between $12-15 per square foot, engineered wood options can come with warranties that last up to 50 years.
Buying Siding for Your Home in Kansas City
Making the best decision for your home exterior renovation project should depend on your needs, preferences, budget, and many other factors. The first and most important decision you’ll make when taking on when replacing your Kansas City home’s siding or embarking on another exterior home renovation project is which contractor to choose for the job.
At Smart Exteriors, we’re experts in home remodeling and exterior renovations and would be happy to help you make the most intelligent choices for your next improvement project including choosing siding for your home. For more information about our smart and affordable products for your Kansas City siding replacement, or for more details about our window, door, roofing, or gutter guard installation or repairs, give us a call or fill out our online form to connect with our team today.
