It's important to remember as a siding novice walking down the aisle at a home improvement store, it can be difficult to tell various vinyl siding lines apart. Color may be the only difference that seems immediately apparent. But upon closer examination, you’ll see that color is only one of the aspects to consider when choosing between siding lines.

Style, Performance and Value
When selecting the right siding for your home, you will want to take into consideration the architectural styling of your home, environmental

conditions such as wind and hail that your siding will need to endure, and your budget. Siding is usually sold by square footage.
In some areas it's sold by the panel.

Gauge
This is the thickness of the panel. The higher the gauge, the better the panel. Thicker panels offer greater impact and weather resistance. Thicker panels also are more rigid so they will hang straighter and flatter against the wall for a more attractive finished installation.

Grain
Vinyl siding is molded with different wood grains to offer different exterior looks. Smooth grains tend to work well with homes with more traditional designs, but also work well with contemporary architectural styles. More pronounced grains tend to give homes a more rustic appearance.

Simple Home Improvement Idea: Vinyl Siding
by Michael Clem

If you've been looking for an easy way to completely transform the exterior of your home, look no further than vinyl siding. Vinyl Siding is an excellent way to spruce up your home's exterior, and this easy home improvement can dramatically increase the value of your home. There are many advantages to installing vinyl siding including saving you money and giving you a look you can be proud of for years to come. Vinyl Siding is virtually maintenance-free due to its resilient nature.

You don't even have to paint it -- a task most home owners dread! Vinyl siding sustains less environmental damage than wood or other siding alternatives, and it maintains a fresh look for years with very little cleaning.

If vinyl siding is installed properly with good insulation, it can mean lower heating bills in the following years. It is estimated that vinyl siding could save a homeowner hundreds of dollars in heating bills over the life of the product. Some manufacturers even guarantee savings up to 20 percent, which is an impressive reduction indeed.

Leaky walls can be a nightmare and can cause damage to your interior woodwork, possibly cause a health risk to your family in the form of growing mold and give your home a mildewy smell. Vinyl siding waterproofs the home and saves you the hassle of having to worry about water damage and checking for leaks.

Paint fades over time, leaving you no other option but to repaint often. But vinyl siding is fade resistant, requiring less maintenance on your part and an overall better look for your home. Vinyl siding also will not rot, peel, dent, or show scratches which means that you can enjoy a bright, clean-looking exterior every day for years. If it does get a bit dirty, you can power wash it with soap and water, a very easy and inexpensive process when compared to special treatments required for some other exteriors.

There are a huge variety of styles and colors to choose from in vinyl siding. Some sidings are bold and modern; others can make your home look authentically original with heritage designs that emulate old-style wood paneling. Siding also comes in as wide a range of colors as you can imagine, which means that you can give your home a totally new distinctive look, or simply restore some of its old charm.

Installing vinyl siding is a home improvement project that can really add value to your home. Because buyers need not worry about maintenance, cracking stucco, rotting wood, or any of the other hassles that come with alternative products, they are more likely to buy a home with vinyl siding. Many buyers specify that they want a home with vinyl siding when they are house-hunting, so installing vinyl siding can also give you an edge in the market.

Not only does vinyl siding bring with it all these benefits, but many manufacturers of vinyl siding will also offer a lifetime warranty on their product. Vinyl siding is so durable and easy to maintain, and manufacturers so sure of their product, that they offer replacements for any defects over the lifetime of the siding. This is an impressive commitment that shows the level of quality and performance you can expect from your vinyl siding.

When it comes to home improvement, vinyl siding is a great way to revamp old, tired exteriors without having to replace them board-by-board. It gives you a clean finish that works well with any style of home, whether modern or classic. You can save money, time and hassle over a lifetime with this simple switch. So put it on your home improvement to-do list, and enjoy the style and comfort that a home with vinyl siding provides.

About The Author


Michael Clem is Operations Manager of Creative Energy of Richmond, Virginia. Creative Energy is central Virginia’s home improvement experts specializing in vinyl siding. On the web at: http://www.creativeenergyexteriors.com/siding.htm.