Handy Exterior Remodeling Blog

For homeowners, choosing the right siding is about more than just aesthetics—it's about durability, longevity, and protecting your home from the elements. Siding is one of the most critical components of your home’s exterior, and understanding how long siding lasts can save you time, money, and future headaches. Whether you’re replacing old siding or building a new home, knowing the lifespan of your chosen siding material helps you make the best investment.

Is your home’s siding showing signs of age, looking faded, or no longer enhancing your curb appeal? Deciding between painting your old siding or replacing it entirely is a key home improvement decision. Both options have their advantages, from the quick refresh of a paint job to the long-term durability of new siding.

Siding significantly impacts a home's aesthetic and functional aspects, and choosing the right type is crucial for its durability and insulation. Different siding materials cater to varied environmental needs, with some offering superior insulation for colder climates and others boasting enhanced durability for areas prone to harsh weather conditions like hail.

Siding on a home plays a huge role, as it can enhance or detract from the overall appearance of the house, but it also protects the home, its occupants and possessions. When the time comes to have your siding replaced, you are sure to have many questions that need to be answered so you know how to choose the best siding for your house.

Argh – the decisions that have to be made when taking on a residing project! What material should it be made of – vinyl, wood or fiber cement? What size and shape should it be? And most important of all – what siding color do you choose? Now there is one more question to ask – do you choose vertical or horizontal siding?

One of the first things homeowners think of when it comes time to replace their siding is color. There are definitely other aspects of a siding replacement project that are important, such as the type of siding and finding the right contractor to install it, but for homeowners looking for a specific aesthetic or to blend in with the surrounding homes or to stand out, color is the focal point.

At VIS Exterior, we get a lot of questions from customers about which type of siding they should have installed on their homes. The answer from us is always James Hardie or LP SmartSide siding. Why, you might ask?

Siding serves as a critical shield for your home, safeguarding it against the elements and maintaining its structural integrity. As the initial defense against sun, snow, and harsh weather, siding plays a pivotal role in preserving your residence. The deterioration of siding can significantly impact your roof's functionality and even curtail its longevity. Repairing or replacing the siding of your house stands as a fundamental aspect of roof restoration, contributing substantially to the overall robustness of the roofing structure.

Homeowners spend a pretty penny on the interior of their homes. From redecorating to renovating entire rooms, much thought is put into what goes on inside our homes. What about the exterior? Is it time for a facelift to gain more curb appeal? And if so, when is the best time of year for installing new siding?

As proud homeowners, we do everything we can to keep our property as aesthetically pleasing as possible. Unfortunately, our vinyl siding will fade after years of exposure to the elements. At this point we’re faced with a situation: do we replace the siding or should we paint it?

From the very onset of a siding installation project, the most important question to ponder is, “how to choose the best siding contractor?” Where you need to look first is to a local siding company, as a nearby contractor is more accountable for their work, will show up if you run into problems and they are likely staffed by people who live in the same community.

As the seasons take their toll, subjecting your siding to the scorching heat of summer and the battering winds of debris-filled storms, the need for periodic cleaning becomes inevitable. Whether your siding is crafted from resilient materials like vinyl, cedar, wood, or fiber cement, the accumulated effects of exposure to the elements can lead to a dingy appearance over time. To restore the luster of your home's exterior, regular cleaning is key.

As a Midwesterner, you have seen your share of hailstorms, and so has your roof and siding. You might also have an idea of how to spot hail damage. Unfortunately, not all damage can be seen from the ground, or even on the roof if you don’t know what to look for. At VIS Exterior, we know how to spot hail damage on a roof and on siding, because it’s something we’ve been doing for two decades.