Wood Siding vs Vinyl Siding – Pros and Cons

Your house is full of character, that’s why you bought it right? From the crown moldings to the wood shingles this house checked off every box. It’s been a few years and your once charming wood siding is starting to look dated and you’re thinking instead of dealing with the upkeep it may be time to say good bye high maintenance wood siding and hello no maintenance vinyl!

No maintenance. Those two words sound appealing, right? But when you seriously start thinking about “no maintenance” in New England what does that truly look like and how is it affecting your home? We are here to dispel the “no maintenance” myth and explain why wood siding is the best option for your home, not only esthetically, but from a structural stand point.

Vinyl Siding Looks Cheap

Have you ever driven around a neighborhood of beautiful homes that has that one house with vinyl siding? Wood siding will give your home the look and feel of a high end custom home.

Vinyl Siding Keeps Moisture In.

You might think painting is a chore, but did you know that peeling paint could be an indication of too much moisture in your home? By installing vinyl siding the moisture has no way out creating an ideal habitat for wood destroying insects in addition to decaying the material underneath.

Vinyl Keeps Fire in and Burns Toxic Fumes

In the event of a fire you will be happy you opted to keep that wood siding. According to the National Fire Prevention Association, vinyl and aluminum siding traps fire inside your home, intensifying the heat turning your house into a furnace. In addition to the heat, vinyl siding burns off toxic gasses and creates acidic smoke. The smoke is so strong it will kill you before the het or carbon monoxide will.

Vinyl Siding is NOT Waterproof

Many people make the mistake in thinking that water resistant means waterproof. That is simply not true. Because of the way vinyl siding is installed there is not way of making it watertight. Water tends to slip between the siding causing infestations and mold problems

Vinyl Siding Fades

The whole reason you switched to vinyl is because it is maintenance free and looks great. How great will it look after years of being out in the elements? Vinyl may give you the feeling of low maintenance long term but so many other issues can be created. It will also fade over the years.