If your home was hit by a bad storm with hail and strong winds, you may be looking at replacement siding. Siding that's cracked, twisted, or chipped off has to be replaced, and if there is a lot of damage, you'll probably need new siding for your entire house. Here are some things to look for when you're choosing new exterior siding.
Siding That Stands Up To Hail
When you've had siding destroyed by hail, you're probably eager to find siding that is more impact-resistant. Aluminum isn't the best choice since it dents easily. Vinyl can be cracked by impacts, so it might not be the right choice either.
Steel siding is worth considering since it's stronger than aluminum and more resistant to impacts. Engineered wood and fiber cement might be good options to consider too. When you buy siding, look for a product that's been tested and rated for impact resistance so you'll know exactly how well the product will tolerate hail.
Siding That Has An Attractive Appearance
When you buy new exterior siding, you have the chance to completely change the way your home looks. You have many options in exterior siding. Siding comes in many colors and designs. You can even buy steel siding made to look like wood logs, so take time to look over all your options. You might rule out wood since you don't want all the maintenance, but if you love the look, you can find siding made of other materials that look just like wood.
Siding That Has A Long Life
When you invest in exterior siding, you want it to last as long as possible. The good news is that most siding will last for many decades. Longevity depends on how well you maintain the siding and the conditions the siding is exposed to over its lifetime.
If you live in an area where bad storms are frequent or wildfires are possible, you may want siding that has the highest ratings for wind, hail, and fire so they won't be damaged as easily and need to be replaced early. Talk to your siding contractor about the life expectancy and warranty for the types of siding you like so you can compare your options.
Siding That Doesn't Need Much Care
If you don't want to paint siding every few years, then you may want vinyl, metal, or composite siding that has color put on when the siding is manufactured. Wood siding needs the most care and regular painting, but you can get fiber cement and engineered wood siding that looks like wood that doesn't need to be painted as often.
