what to do if vinyl siding is uneven at the top
Problems With Vinyl Siding
Siding does a lot more for your home than just look good. The main chore of siding is making the house water tight which protects you from the elements. No ane wants to live in a clammy, drafty home and siding helps forbid that. Information technology's a fantastic product that's affordable, like shooting fish in a barrel to install, looks swell and does it'due south task protecting your dwelling. Only for all the swell things virtually it, there are still a lot of bug with vinyl siding that we'll become over below.
Vinyl siding has had a bad reputation in the past due to poor quality. But like with most products it's improved a lot over the years. Today's vinyl siding products are fade resistant, insect proof, wait great, come up in a broad range of styles and colors and are extremely durable.
If your looking for a truly low maintenance siding textile to utilise on your home then you should at least consider using vinyl. For many homeowners, maintenance just isn't something they desire to do. Vinyl siding is a great looking, low maintenance culling to wood or cobweb cement. It doesn't peel, chip or require painting every few years. But unfortunately, there are a few major problems with vinyl siding that you lot should be fabricated enlightened of earlier siding your home.
This commodity should aid y'all empathise the drawbacks of vinyl siding so you can brand the right determination for your home.
Mutual Disadvantages Of Vinyl Siding | Appearance
Vinyl siding has improved a lot from when it was beginning introduced a few decades agone. It'southward offered in a wide range of sizes, styles and colors which in some cases fifty-fifty mimic the look and feel of real wood. However, the fact notwithstanding remains, no matter how good the product is, at the cease of the twenty-four hours it'south nevertheless only plastic. For all information technology's improvements vinyl still doesn't accept the same look and feel of real wood or even fiber cement. Even from a distance vinyl siding just doesn't look as good. Information technology'due south a trade off y'all'll have to consider. While vinyl siding may exist cheaper and maintenance free, it doesn't look every bit adept as natural products.
Because vinyl siding is long strips of molded plastic that gets nailed to the firm on strip at a fourth dimension, if it'southward not properly installed you can see the areas where pieces overlap the next board. In other words you tin some times come across the seams or joints where 2 siding pieces meet. Even if you install the siding perfectly it can sometimes happen because vinyl expands and contracts from hot and common cold weather. Virtually good siding contractors will put the joints facing the back of the house so y'all don't encounter them from the curb but they still look pretty bad and there isn't a style to completely hide or avert seeing the joints.
Vinyl Siding Looks Fake
Vinyl siding more often than not has a fake, plastic appearance which is a given since that'due south what it'due south made of. When it's make new it looks expert but once it starts to fade vinyl can expect terrible and there isn't a thing you tin can do about it. Real wood siding looks so great considering it's not all one color which gives information technology a natural advent. Painted fiber cement gets repainted periodically so fifty-fifty though it tin start to fade you just repaint and it looks brand new again.
Maintenance can be a pain but it'south what keeps you siding looking similar new.
Warped And Buckled Vinyl Siding
Common Problems With Vinyl Siding
Vinyl siding is a bang-up production that's becoming more and more pop equally time goes on. And it's constantly being improved so he stuff your buying today is much ameliorate than what was used on homes x years ago. Merely there are however a lot of common problems with vinyl siding worth considering before y'all brand a large investment. Beneath we'll go over some of the more than common ones.
Warping and Buckling
Buckling or warping tin happen when siding isn't installed the right abroad. Vinyl siding expands in loftier heat and contracts when it'southward cold outside. There are slots on the back of each siding piece where you nail it to the wall. The slots permit for some movement side to side. When installing siding you drive one nail in the center of each slot. If installed the correct fashion your siding will motility from side to side about 1/ii inch after yous nail it. If your vinyl siding doesn't motility so you've nailed information technology either too tight or in the wrong place.
This modest amount of wiggle room is what allows for some expansion and contraction. If the siding is nailed too tight or can't freely move side to side so it'll buckle or warp.
This is ane of the primary reasons why vinyl siding isn't used as much in really hot or cold climates. In actually hot states like Nevada they use more stucco and masonry products like fiber cement because it doesn't expand or contract. While y'all can replace areas that accept buckled or warped, the same issue will happen again and once more. Temperatures can even get loftier enough to melt vinyl siding so if you live in a really hot climate and so consider using a different siding product.
Not All Vinyl Siding Is Created Equal
Some vinyl siding warps more than others. This is strictly a quality issue. The more expensive, high quality vinyl siding is thicker and in some cases even solid PVC or backed with insulation. These products don't warp or buckle as much or even at all because they're much stronger than the cheaper sparse stuff. Manufacturers will let you know if the product is safety at extremely high or low temperatures if you enquire them so practice some research or ask your builder.
The inexpensive stuff is horrible in a changing climate and so stay away from it. Inexpensive siding is so thin that even small temperature changes tin make it warp. Here in NJ we get hot summers and common cold winters but it'southward not too extreme. Good vinyl siding similar cedar shake impressions by Certainteed never gets damaged but we see cheap siding buckle all the time.
Buy a quality production and become it installed past a professional so warping and buckling won't be a problem.
Wet Problems With Vinyl Siding
Vinyl siding is designed to be flexible which allows for some expansion and contraction. Considering of this it isn't sealed tight to continue out water. A waterproof bulwark is installed over the sheathing and under the siding which keeps out moisture. On older homes this layer was commonly made out of tar paper. Today we utilise products similar Tyvek or Blueskin firm wrap. If wet somehow gets behind the siding and through the waterproof barrier your home can suffer serious water harm. Wood that gets moisture can eventually develop rot, mildew, mold, and/or leaks.
Vinyl siding itself is water resistant only like any plastic production. And when it's installed properly with a good waterproof membrane will act equally a pelting screen. If vinyl siding is functioning equally designed most surface rain h2o will run right off it. Moisture that makes information technology'south way into minor gaps and cracks should drain out through channels and weep holes built into the siding. Unfortunately, many people install siding improperly which tin can trap moisture backside the siding where it has no identify to go. Considering the vinyl siding itself is unaffected, y'all probably won't know this is happening until information technology's too tardily.
Cracking Bug With Vinyl Siding
Vinyl siding is simply like any other PVC product which can fissure. Here in NJ we go hurricanes that can blow droppings around at high speeds. Croaky siding due to some kind of touch on isn't uncommon after a bad storm. Fixing a cracked piece of siding isn't a big deal if you tin can get the siding, just what if yous tin can't. Information technology's not like repairing cedar shake or cobweb cement where you replace a harm piece and paint information technology to match. With vinyl new pieces may not match the other siding at all which will look terrible. A lot of customers are forced to replace all the siding subsequently some impairment because the patch looks then bad.
Another cause of nifty is sun impairment. Over fourth dimension in straight sunlight vinyl siding volition first fade and so eventually crack. It takes a long time to happen here in NJ but in Nevada this could be an issue in just a few years.
In really cold areas cracking is even worse of a trouble. When vinyl siding gets really common cold it becomes much stiffer. Whatsoever small touch can crevice it. In warmer areas vinyl is flexible so information technology takes a much harder hitting to damage information technology.
Some modest cracks may not be noticeable unless you look upward close. These are often referred to every bit hairline cracks and aren't as serious. Big cracks are noticeable from a distance and are much more serious because once siding is cracked water can freely flow through the cracks and behind the siding. Water penetration behind your protective layers tin eventually atomic number 82 to more than serious issues like rot, mold, and mildew. These types of problems are very expensive to gear up.
Vinyl Siding Tin can Be Noisy
Vinyl siding shouldn't make whatsoever dissonance when it'south installed the right way. But what if information technology isn't? If your siding makes noise when the wind blows or when the temperature changes it's a skilful sign something hasn't been done correct.
Improperly installed vinyl siding can make noise when it's windy or when the temperature changes suddenly. If your siding is nailed likewise tight you may hear some bang-up or popping sounds. If your siding was installed too loose you can hear a rattling dissonance when the current of air blows.
Melting Problems
Information technology's rare to see melted vinyl siding but it does happen from time to time. This is one of the reasons why vinyl isn't used much in actually hot climates. It doesn't happen so much from direct sunlight only rather from potent reflected low-cal. Light reflected from a mirror or insulated drinking glass into a beam that's strong enough tin can melt siding. And this can happen not simply in hot climates merely also in fairly cold ones that employ insulated drinking glass windows. At sure angles insulated glass reflects lite but like a mirror which can cook vinyl. Both of these situations are rare but they practise happen.
The more mutual melting problems with vinyl siding are caused by
Melted Vinyl Siding From The Sun
Problems With Nighttime Vinyl Siding
Night vinyl siding is becoming more and more popular in recent years amongst homeowners trying to pause the trend of calorie-free neutral siding colors. Dark colors can make a home stand up out which tin can be a big boost to it's curb entreatment. Plus, it doesn't testify dirt every bit easily equally lighter colors which can be a big plus if you hate maintenance cleanings.
The issues with night vinyl siding colors are mainly twofold.
Night Vinyl Siding Retains Estrus
Night siding retains rut more than than lite siding does. This is true of but about any dark color. It's common noesis that nighttime colors soak more rut from the sunday while lighter colors repel information technology. In terms of vinyl siding retaining estrus this tin can add to additional expansion and the issues that stalk from it like buckling and warping.
To solve these issues manufacturers are using proprietary technology that helps reduce the amount of heat night siding absorbs. Some manufacturers are even including protection confronting warping caused by heat memory in their warranties. The event is that some brands of vinyl siding performs improve in loftier oestrus. This can brand dark colors a good option in places that used to just choose lite and bright colors.
Night Vinyl Siding Fades
Fading is a problem with any color vinyl siding simply it'due south a lot more than noticeable the darker the color is. Here too, new technology has improved fading issues. The premium brands are much less probable to fade badly because they include anti fade technology. Cheaper brands don't have this and then if y'all don't accept the upkeep for expensive vinyl siding and you live in a hot climate then pick a light colour.
Manufacturers will provide a measurement of colour change over time using a scale in what are known every bit Hunter units. The lower the number the less fading will occur over time. Make sure to exercise some research when shopping for proficient siding and read the warranty. Some manufacturers take proprietary fade resistant applied science built in that reduces the touch of UV rays on the siding'southward colour.
Every siding fades eventually from the sun. But some do much better than others. If this is an issue where you alive and you can afford a premium siding then a darker color may exist an selection for you.
Uneven Fading
Fading is a large trouble merely uneven fading is even worse. Information technology's not like all 4 sides of the house will fad evenly. Think of it like getting a tan. If you only tan the front of your body the back will still be pale. The same is true of faded siding. If on side of the house gets a lot of sun and the others don't then simply the side with the lord's day will fade. This happens with any house but with a dark color uneven fading tin await terrible.
This tin also happen on the aforementioned side of a business firm. Let's say you've got a porch or another architectural particular that blocks sun on the front end of the house. The parts that aren't shaded volition fade faster than the ones that are. This volition effect in a pattern you'll see on your siding. It looks terrible and there isn't a whole lot you can do virtually it. Brand sure if fading can exist an issue that you buy a premium siding with color fade protection.
Does Vinyl Siding Fade
Yes. Fading is one of the most common problems with vinyl siding. Prolonged direct sunlight causes vinyl siding to fade. That'south true of every kind of vinyl siding nosotros've ever installed. Manufacturers will even provide you with a chart showing how much fade you can expect because they know it's going to happen. What's really bad is how uneven the fading can be. In general some parts of a home get more direct sunlight than others. Over fourth dimension this uneven amount of sunlight can pb to fading in some areas and normal amounts of colour in others. This is non an bonny wait. It can even happen on the same side of the house if you have architectural features that block some dominicus. Remember of information technology but like a sun tan. If you lot cover upward parts of your body y'all'll tan unevenly. The same thing can happen on your business firm.
Fading is generally a cosmetic outcome, but if the sun is actually potent eventually fading tin lead to some cracking.
Fading doesn't have that long to occur but it varies from production to product. Premium vinyl siding handles fading much better than cheaper options considering the PVC is thicker and with more color. Some even add a protective surface layer that resists fading. Do your research earlier you choose a make. I you live here in NJ information technology's non that big an upshot but if your siding a home in Arizona you'd definitely desire to buy something that's designed to be fade resistant.
Bad Vinyl Siding Installation
This is a huge topis that nosotros'll bear on throughout the article. By far the biggest upshot with vinyl siding is caused by bad installation because that tin atomic number 82 to h2o damage on the home. If siding isn't installed correctly then water can't properly drain. And if that happens it can build upwardly and potentially penetrate the capsule which leads to all sorts of problems. H2o is the #one source of rot, mold, mildew etc. to a home and has to be kept completely out of the house. To practice this you demand a proper moisture barrier which includes siding.
Sure fading looks bad and mayhap siding looks a little cheaper than cobweb cement or woods but that's just cosmetic. The major problems with vinyl siding all accept to exercise with water impairment which generally stems from an improper installation.
Bottom line. Brand sure yous rent a professional to install your vinyl siding and buy a premium production if you can afford it. And buy the best house wrap too. Most people don't empathize the importance of these steps until they've been in a house that'due south 5 years old with rot everywhere. Water can do terrible things to a wood framed dwelling.
Storm Damaged Vinyl Siding
Does Vinyl Siding Expect Cheap
Yes and No. This is a complicated question to answer because there are and then many different types of vinyl siding. If your talking virtually premium cedar shake impressions past Certainteed with Azek trim then no. Nosotros install this on homes that sell for millions of dollars. But it'due south definitely not the best. Even premium siding looks a piddling cheaper when compared with fiber cement or real wood. If you lot desire the best of the best than stay abroad from vinyl. But premium products wait great and it's not a huge divergence whatever more than as siding products continually get meliorate and improve.
If your talking virtually standard lap siding you can buy at any Home Depot then yes, it can await a little cheap on the wrong firm. For your every twenty-four hours suburban $350K dwelling house it looks keen. Just if your installing it on a million dollar custom dwelling house then it'll wait cheap. The siding actually just has to be appropriate for the home and neighborhood it's installed in.
Vinyl Siding Inspection
If your buying a domicile and desire to make sure the sidings installed correctly so you lot'll have to do a quick vinyl siding inspection. It's good to exercise considering improper siding installation is what can cause water damage to the home. There'south no way to see backside the siding to find the damage merely seeing issues with siding can be a good clue. Improper installation is the cause of merely well-nigh every i of the major problems with vinyl siding so try and avoid them when yous buy a new house.
Look for uneven or wavy siding. That's an indicator that the installer didn't boom the siding properly. If they don't know how to nail siding it's a good bet they fabricated some other mistakes too.
Check for siding patches. You can see them because they wait similar new and the surrounding pieces will exist a piffling faded. This will show you where damage occurred which could have also damaged the underlying sheathing.
Check the siding joints. A good installer volition e'er face up the joints back so yous can't see them from the street. This will tell y'all how much care the installer put into the work.
Look at things like the trim, J-channel and soffit. These pieces have to be custom cutting on site and if they're non done properly it's a good sign that the installer doesn't know what he'southward doing.
Watch out for whatever gaps or places where siding is pulling away from the house. In other words loose pieces. Wat can become behind and cause impairment.
Uneven Siding Installation Bug
If you've got uneven siding installed on your habitation it'southward not but a corrective outcome. Certain it looks bad but chances are if the installers can't fifty-fifty hang the siding level then they've messed up some other things too. It's just a bad sign.
Functionally speaking it could crusade some drainage issues. Siding is meant to be installed level. There are channels and weep holes that allow water to properly drain. If waters non draining than it can build up and possibly penetrate the sheathing layer. This tin can somewhen atomic number 82 to water harm.
Unfortunately the simply mode to fix an uneven siding installation is to tear it out and redo it. At that place's no quick and easy fix.
Is Vinyl Siding Bad For The Environment
Is vinyl siding bad for the environment? Information technology's a practiced question and in almost cases the reply is yeah.
Sustainability is an important issue for many homeowners and builders these days. What a home is built out of and if the products are sustainable is a skillful thing to remember virtually when building or remodeling a home. In the past at that place weren't a whole lot of options for environmentally friendly building products. But that'southward quickly changing. Today there are lots of sustainable edifice products to choose from which includes siding.
While some vinyl siding manufacturers do employ recycled material, most vinyl is not considered a green or sustainable product. And even though your new siding may include some recycled plastic, when it eventually comes fourth dimension to replace it, there are very few recycling centers that will accept vinyl siding. These places are normally equipped to handle mutual plastics similar water bottles. Near likely your siding will eventually finish upwardly in a land fill.
This does vary by manufacturer though so if sustainability is important to you then check to make sure your vinyl siding is made from a loftier percentage of recycled material or consider using a natural siding material. Every footling bit does aid.
Vinyl siding is primarily composed of polyvinyl chloride, also known equally PVC. The manufacturing process which produces PVC releases greenhouse gases such as nitrogen oxide, carcinogens including dioxin, and sulfur dioxide which causes acrid rain and smog. In improver, creating PVC requires vast amounts of electricity.
Vinyl Siding Can Be Hazardous To Your Wellness
The Occupational Safety and Health Assistants (OSHA) mandates exposure limits for workers in vinyl siding plants for a reason. Because the chemicals used in vinyl siding manufacturing can be hazardous to your health.
Studies have not shown that simply installing vinyl siding on a home can cause health issues for residents. All the same, if your domicile catches burn down, burning siding will release high levels of lethal chemicals into the air. People have died or become ill from animate in these toxic fumes.
Tin can You Recycle Vinyl Siding
Recycling vinyl siding is both difficult and expensive which is why about recycling centers don't accept it. The trouble is that it's made from PVC and not the more common plastics that are used in things like water bottles.
Near recycling centers won't accept any production that contains PVC. When siding goes to a landfill it'due south either cached or burned. Honestly either option is pretty bad. Co-ordinate to the EPA, burning PVC is the largest known source of dioxin emissions in the U.s.. Burying plastic tin accept all sorts of bad effects on the local environment if chemicals leach into the water arrangement.
And then any way yous look at information technology, it'southward but ameliorate for the surroundings if you become with a siding production that's not made from plastic.
Does Vinyl Siding Have An R-Value
Heating and cooling costs are expensive and constantly on the rising. Homeowners are always searching for products that provide some much needed energy savings. The average r-value of non insulated vinyl siding is well-nigh .61. This is next to zero. You tin buy insulated vinyl siding if you desire it but honestly, in our opinion, it'south not worth the money. R-values for insulated siding varies and then cheque with the manufacturer but more often than not they're very minimal because the siding is then thin that they can't add much.
If you want improve insulation your improve off adding a rigid foam layer nether the siding. Information technology'southward cheaper and has a better r-value.
Conclusion
Is vinyl siding a proficient product to use on your dwelling. It depends. If your in the right climate and take the right house at the right price point than information technology's a great product. Only it's not the all-time option for every home in the country. And for all it'due south great points there are notwithstanding some large problems with vinyl siding y'all should consider.
Hopefully what we went over will help make your decision a little easier.
If you have any questions or comments e-mail us any time. Nosotros'd honey to hear from you.
Source: https://gambrick.com/problems-with-vinyl-siding/
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