If you’re having your home’s siding replaced, you’ll be making a significant investment in the appearance and protection of your home’s exterior. So, whether you’re undertaking siding installation as an ambitious DIY project, or if you’re relying on a trusted, local vinyl siding installation company, you want to know how to judge whether the work is being done properly.
Proper home siding installation relies on correct moisture management, the establishment of proper thermal gaps, and appropriate and accurate material application, from the house wrap up to the exterior siding.
Proper siding installation is always important, but in areas with large shifts in temperature and humidity throughout the year (as we have here in southwest Ohio) it’s particularly vital in order to ensure a great outcome in your siding installation with excellent longevity.
Look for These Best Practices in Siding Installation
Obviously, if you’re making the investment to replace your home’s siding, you want to have it done well, and you want a good value. Ask your vinyl siding installation company what their strategy is regarding the following points:
Leave Room for Expansion and Contraction
Because all kinds of siding will expand and contract based on temperature and weather, your siding contractor should allow some space where the nails are driven in, to make sure the siding materials won’t be overly stressed on very hot or very cold days.
Flashing Should Be Used at Intersections
Where the siding panels meet the roof, there should be flashing used as extra insurance against water getting in under the siding. (You should have gutters in these areas, as well, but the siding itself should be as watertight as possible — your gutters and your siding work together to keep the water out of your house.)
Proper Overlap Is Vital
Siding panels should be installed so that they overlap by about an inch to make sure that wind-driven rain and snow don’t get up underneath your siding.
Allow for Ground Clearance
There should be an allowance about ground and surfaces at the bottom of the wall — siding shouldn’t be installed all the way down to be flush with the ground.
Detailed Estimates
Your siding company should be happy to outline all the options available to you for your home’s siding, answer all the questions you have about the options and the process, and then provide a detailed, written estimate for the work they’re proposing. You should wake up on installation day feeling confident and excited about your home’s new siding, not uncertain and concerned about what you’ve gotten yourself into. Working with a siding installation company that considers customer confidence as a part of customer service will put you at ease and make the whole process of getting new siding feel fun and exciting.
We recommend asking your siding installation company if they follow these best practices. If they happily engage with you, explaining their philosophy on siding installation and asking about how you became so well informed about siding, then you can feel confident about your siding contractor choice. If they blow you off, roll their eyes, or don’t want to discuss the specifics of how they approach siding installation, then you might be better off continuing your search for a home siding installation contractor.
Siding Installation Red Flags
In addition to avoiding siding installation contractors who dismiss client questions, there are a few other telltale signs you might spot on a neighbor’s or friend’s home that would tell you to keep looking for your vinyl siding company.
Wavy Siding Panels
This is what comes from nailing the siding panels on too tightly — when the temperature changes significantly, if the panels don’t have room to “breathe”, they can warp (or even crack) instead.
Exposed Nails
Protruding or exposed nails will eventually rust, ruining the look of your home’s exterior, wearing out sooner and possibly discoloring the face of the siding panels.
Caulk Instead of Flashing
At joints and connection points, flashing should be used. If a vinyl siding installation company uses caulk in place of flashing, they’re setting you up for wet, messy headaches in the future. This might slightly reduce the installation and materials cost on installation day, but it will absolutely cost you more in the long run.
In addition to being the most significant aesthetic element of your home’s exterior, your home’s siding is one of its biggest protective elements, as well. No matter who installs your home’s new vinyl siding, it’s going to be a serious investment … so why not take the time to find a company that’s going to do a truly fantastic job, leaving you with a result you’ll enjoy for years to come? Check that your local home siding contractor follows these best practices for siding installation. If you’re here in the Cincinnati area, call us here at Harper Siding & Roofing for top-tier installation practices for your home’s new exterior siding. Get a clear, detailed, no-hassle estimate for your home in West Chester, Loveland, Mason, or anywhere in the greater Tri-State area. We’re here to help!