Vinyl Siding and Property Value: Not All It's Cracked Up To Be...
Maybe you've just bought a home. Or, you might be getting ready to sell your home. The house, either way, looks like it's seen better days. The original wood siding isn't in BAD shape, but a bit of "cosmetics" would make a WORLD of difference. You're looking for a cost effective solution. Hmmmmm, let's see...
You've seen an ad recently saying that vinyl siding is an AWESOME choice; It's cost effective. No maintenance. It will increase the value of your home. And, it's not only cost effective, it's downright cheap! Well, there's a bit of fallacy there. Actually, alot of it... It may be a quick fix, and cheap to do right now, but it's not necessarily cost effective.
If you plan to put up vinyl siding on an historic home, don't plan on getting more money at resale... That would be destroying the value of the home. Destroying the history. Repairing the existing wood and repainting will not only give you greater value, it may cost less, too. The other problem with putting up vinyl siding over existing wood siding is that when you install the vinyl OVER the existing wood, they create a "vapor pocket." The styro insulation board makes a barrier to moisture, thus locking it in AGAINST THE ORIGINAL WOOD SIDING. Wood is organic, so the wood will not only rot, it can start to mold. AND, rotting wood has been shown to attract termites and other wood destroying insects. Then don't forget that you have to keep re-caulking. If you don't keep the vinyl sealed properly, that means water gets in, and thus, more maintenance.
If anyone tells you vinyl siding doesn't wear, well, try asking anybody that got it in a dark color. Vinyl siding will start to fade within just a couple of years, the darker the color, the quicker the fade. And, it can't be painted. (Some paint companies will tell you that you can, but the paint WILL peel after a short time.) Like many plastics, with the temperature fluctuations it becomes brittle. So when you see the commercial showing you that vinyl is "indestructable," hitting it with a rock or hammer, that may be true when it's new. But after a couple years, those blows will crack the siding, almost shatter it. Don't get me wrong, but we're talking about this being able to occur within 10 years!
Finally, they will tell you that vinyl siding will save your costs on heating your home. Done right, that is possible. But if the job isn't done PROPERLY, it can end up costing you MORE to heat your home. Also, don't forget that if or when you decide to replace any existing vinyl siding, you will also get charged for the removal of the old siding!
All of that being said, vinyl siding DOES have its place. With new construction type homes, where it is the ONLY siding and insulation, it can be a cost effective solution. No wood rot to worry about, no breaks in the insulation, etc.. But if you're going for keeping property value on an older home, you might want to look into restoration of your existing wood siding first, then make your choice. With such an array of choices, colors, woodwork and the like, for the same price, you might be better served going with the paint and restoration.
CG
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