Installing vinyl siding or other house siding on your home can be an expensive yet necessary project for you as a homeowner. When old siding becomes deteriorated or is damaged by wind and storms, it can leave your home exposed to harmful elements that can lead to further degradation of the structure. For many people, however, finding great siding contractors at a good price isn’t the only concern. More and more, people are looking for more sustainable and environmentally friendly options.
Do Homeowners Have Other Options?
The short answer is yes. Today more than ever before manufacturers and contractors are looking for ways to provide consumers with the eco-friendly building and home siding materials they demand. One example is the James Hardie line.
What is James Hardie Fiberboard?
James Hardie Fiberboard is recommended by siding contractors, suppliers and environmentalists as an alternative to traditional vinyl siding products. While some think that James Hardy is too costly, it is not as cost-prohibitive as you might think. And the benefits of sustainable siding make the switch to eco-friendly house siding a valuable alternative. In many cases homeowners find they are able to get a natural looking wood appearance at a significantly less environmental cost in the long run.
What Are the Benefits of Sustainable Siding?
Opting to use James Hardie and other sustainable siding solutions over traditional wood or vinyl siding options has a number of benefits for the consumer and for the environment. Non-combustible and rot and termite resistant materials mean that you spend less money on replacement siding and that the integrity of your home remains intact for a longer time. Sustainable siding is also better able to withstand the harsh elements such as wind, sun, hail and rain. It can easily be painted, and it is resistant to shrinking and warping due to the sun.
What Other Things Should I Consider?
When choosing a siding product it’s important to work with reputable siding contractors that know how to work with the materials. Unprofessional installation can have many negative effects, no matter what siding materials you choose to use.
To find a good contractor, make sure you do your homework first. Look for someone with clients that speak favorably about the company’s work and check to see if the contractor is affiliated with any professional trade organizations. Both of these things are indicators that the contractor you choose is competent when it comes to installation and safety guidelines.
Familiarize yourself with the warranties and guarantees on both the siding materials and the labor before you make your final decision on the type of siding and contractor. Make sure that if something goes wrong later, there is a system in place to help you remedy the problem.
Finally, check around with other siding contractors like TAG General Contractors to see a full range of pricing and material options. If you sign a contract with the first company you call, you may not be getting a fair deal.If you are an environmentalist, you have to think twice about using vinyl as material. Note that vinyl products are slower to weather and that property makes it very difficult to dispose them- they are not very environmental friendly. Vinyl products take time to degrade. New technologies make it possible to dispose off vinyl in earth-friendly manner but the processes can only handle newly-made vinyl such as factory rejects and cut outs.