A Comprehensive Buyer’s Guide to Vinyl Siding for Chicago Homeowners

A Comprehensive Buyer’s Guide to Vinyl Siding for Chicago Homeowners

Revamping the exterior of your home can have a considerable impact on its visual appeal and overall value. Among the various home improvement projects, installing new vinyl siding is often a preferred choice due to its impressive return on investment. On average, homeowners can recoup about 74.7% of the project cost upon resale. In this guide, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know about vinyl siding.

Understanding Vinyl Siding Vinyl siding is a durable, plastic exterior that covers the outside of residential homes. Composed mainly of robust, low-maintenance polyvinyl chloride (PVC) resin, vinyl siding protects your home from weather elements and gives it an appealing look. What’s more, with vinyl siding, you can skip the hassle of repainting your house every few years.

For those mindful of environmental impact, vinyl siding is an excellent choice. It lasts for several decades and has a lower environmental footprint compared to other siding materials. Available in a broad range of textures, hues, and colors, vinyl siding allows homeowners to customize their home’s exterior appearance.

Production of Vinyl Siding The production of vinyl siding involves heating PVC, which then undergoes a color-blending process. This unique process ensures that the color won’t chip or peel off. The color-infused mixture is then extruded through a die or poured into sheets using a mold to give it texture and pattern.

Why Choose Vinyl Siding? Vinyl siding has multiple benefits, making it a practical and versatile choice for homeowners:

1. Enhances Aesthetic Appeal Vinyl siding boosts the visual appeal and curb appeal of homes. As it’s low-maintenance and highly resilient, prospective home buyers often consider vinyl siding a positive attribute.
2. Robust and Long-lasting Vinyl siding withstands weather elements and resists scratches and fading. It offers a fresh, smooth look without the need for painting, thus enhancing its durability.
3. Affordable and High-Quality Vinyl siding delivers long-lasting aesthetics at a lower installation cost than other materials. Its high durability translates into low replacement costs in the long run. If damaged by an accident, such as a falling tree branch, you only need to replace the affected sections rather than re-siding the entire house.
4. Low Maintenance Once installed, vinyl siding requires minimal upkeep. You won’t have to bother about painting, varnishing, sanding, or dealing with pests. Cleaning it is as simple as giving it a hose-down.
5. Energy Efficient Insulated vinyl siding can improve your home’s energy efficiency, thereby reducing cooling and heating expenses.
6. Environmentally Friendly Vinyl siding is an eco-friendly option. It lasts for decades and requires virtually no maintenance, thereby reducing the need for material replacements.

Cost of Vinyl Siding The cost of installing vinyl siding varies based on your specific project, but the average cost is around $10,750. Homeowners typically spend between $6,150 to $15,900, equivalent to $3.00 and $12.00 per square foot. Considering its durability and low maintenance needs, vinyl siding is more cost-effective than cement, stucco, and fiber siding.

Factors that influence the cost of vinyl siding include:

• Quality: Hardier materials may cost more.
• Style: Different textures come with varying prices.
• Brand: Established brands use high-quality materials, which affect costs.
• Repairs or replacements: Repairing a section of vinyl costs less than a full replacement or new installation.
• Architectural features: Unique features and angles make installation more complex, thereby increasing costs.
• Insulation: Insulated vinyl siding is costlier than regular siding.
• Labor: Installation difficulty impacts labor costs.

Lifespan of Vinyl Siding Vinyl siding can last anywhere between 20 to 60 years with minimal yearly maintenance. Several factors can influence its lifespan, including the climate, potential rotting of supporting wood, and external incidents such as accidental damages.

Cleaning Vinyl Siding Vinyl siding is easy to clean. A gentle spray from your hose usually suffices. For stubborn organic matter, use a soft sponge and mild, environmentally friendly cleaning agent, if necessary.

Choosing the Right Vinyl Siding Color Choosing a vinyl siding color should consider the other exterior elements of your home, including the roof, chimney, window frames, decorative elements, stairs, railings, door frames, fences, and window boxes.

Recent vinyl siding color trends in 2023 include warm earthy tones, dark shades like charcoal and slate, as well as warm whites and creams. A professional can help you mix and match different colors and textures to achieve your desired look.

Contact Third Coast Exteriors for Your Vinyl Siding Needs Third Coast Exteriors is committed to serving homeowners in Chicago, providing top-tier services for all your vinyl siding needs. Feel free to reach out to us for more information or assistance.