Vinyl Siding’s Most Common Complaint

Posted on Monday, January 9th, 2012

Vinyl siding expands and contracts with fluctuations in temperature. To compensate, vinyl siding is hung instead of being nailed down. The loose nailing allows the material to expand and contract without breaking. Unfortunately, sometimes through improper installation or hard impact in cold weather, vinyl siding can chip or crack. In older vinyl siding, this can be pretty common. In new vinyl siding, it’s a rare occurence. New vinyl siding, like Dixie T-Plank Siding, is thicker and contains more UV protection so that it doesn’t become brittle from exposure to the sun.

Old Vinyl Siding Vs. New Vinyl Siding

The industry has come a long way since the beginning of vinyl siding. Through breakthroughs in technology, new vinyl siding is built to last for the duration of the house, but it didn’t start that way. Thousands of houses across the country have old or cheap versions of vinyl siding installed. It doesn’t take a scientist to see the difference either. The homes with old vinyl siding look noticeably different. That’s because old vinyl siding wasn’t designed to resist damage from the sun. Over years of sun damage and temperature fluctuations, the color faded and the PVC (plastic) became hard and brittle. Eventually, the siding chips and cracks.

Besides looking bad, damaged siding also posed a problem to the buildings structure. As water penetrates a home or building’s outer wall, it becomes trapped. In cold weather, this water freezes, damaging the underlying wood and further damaging the siding. In warm weather, the wood can rot and create a home for infestations, like termites. Leaving broken siding unattended lead a laundry list of problems.

Modern vinyl siding, like Dixie HomeCrafter’s T-Plank, prevents serious problems from ever happening. Not only is the PVC thicker, it also has UV protection baked right in. As an added bonus, it’s also insulated. The insulation will keep your home cooler in the summer and warm in the winter. Contact us today to learn about all of the choices you have for your home restoration needs.

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