The material that is on the outside of your home plays a critical role in the overall energy efficiency of your dwelling. Older materials, or less-efficient materials, can significantly impact your home’s ability to keep warm air inside and cool air out over the winter months (and vice-versa in the summer months).
Choosing a Siding Material
There is certainly no shortage of siding materials to choose from for your home these days, ranging from traditional bricks or rocks to vinyl siding, wood siding, and other options. There is also a range of brands, including industry-leading James Hardie siding. The key is to find the material that is right for your home and fits within your budget. Within the vinyl siding category, you want to find a material that offers good energy efficiency to help you reduce your carbon footprint and lower your monthly energy bills.
Have it Installed Properly
Even the best and most energy-efficient siding in the world will not do you much good if you don’t have it installed the right way. Make sure you don’t miss out on any energy savings by having a poor quality installation. Hire siding contractors that are highly rated and experienced in installing the type of vinyl siding that you want on your home.
Care for Your Siding
One of the benefits of vinyl siding is that it is a very low maintenance product, so you won’t need to constantly sand and repaint just to keep it looking new. It is not no-maintenance, though, and you should make it a habit to inspect all areas of your siding at least twice a year (fall is a great time to do it), then call a Columbus, Ohio siding contractor if you notice any problems. Leaving siding unrepaired can impact its ability to regulate airflow and can negate the energy savings you thought you were getting.