Does Vinyl Siding Work on Older Homes in Downriver Michigan?

For a classic home, you may be deadest on maintaining as much of the original design as possible. But as many homeowners know, the materials originally used on old homes are very rarely effective at protecting your home and preventing issues. To help protect your home overall, it is recommended that you use a newer siding material like vinyl, over a problematic material like wood. But does the newer material impact the older home’s overall charm? Getting vinyl siding installed on your home in Downriver Michigan can give it a fresh new look and loads of curb appeal but is it a good idea?

Does Vinyl Siding Work on Older Homes in Downriver Michigan?

There are many homes which still have older types of siding installed on them here in Downriver Michigan. While some of these siding choices give the home the look and feel like the original architects wanted, it may be improved by installing vinyl siding. There are many advantages to upgrade to vinyl siding but it may not be right for every home. One case in particular where vinyl siding may not be wanted is in historic buildings and homes. Keeping the home original can certainly help, it may also be much more expensive so if you’re considering replacing the original siding on your home and it is older, it may be much more expensive when compared to vinyl siding:

Advantages of Vinyl Siding on Older Homes

Vinyl is a great material to use on homes because of its versatility, easy installation and durability. Many companies offer a lifetime warranty on their products, or at least 50 years of protection. Because of the lightweight material, you can easily install vinyl siding in a relatively short amount of time, and can be installed in a variety of different styles. This includes horizontal, board and batten, and even shake siding.

Vinyl is also unique because it can mimic the look of other materials used for home siding. This allows you to have siding that looks like stone, wood, brick, or any color you could want. The color is baked in, so there is no repainting, re-staining or maintenance. That means you can get that classic look, but with much less repairs, cost and maintenance.

Disadvantages of Vinyl Siding on Older Homes

Older homes are designed much differently than the homes of today. They did not factor in ventilation as much as we do now, making it easier for moisture to get in and stay in your home. The classic clapperboard siding allows more breathability than vinyl siding and better works with the needs of the home.

Vinyl siding on older homes better seals them in, but also traps moisture in as well. When moisture gets in, it can wreak havoc on your home, costing thousands in damage. Vinyl will also hide any moisture damage, making it almost impossible to detect until it has spread through your walls and into the interior of your home. Clapperboard will show any moisture damage much sooner, indicating that you have a problem and letting you make repairs more quickly.

Should You Use Vinyl Siding on Your Old Home?

If you have an older home that uses brick or stone, vinyl makes sense to use. It will cost you much less in materials and upkeep, and can still provide you with a classic look from a distance that is impossible to distinguish from the real thing. Up close it will show, but can be well worth the slight deception.

For homes that utilize clapperboard and wood siding, it can be much more of a risk to use vinyl siding because of the moisture damage risk. To help eliminate these issues, you may need to be willing to make modifications to the home to make it better suited to the siding. If you do not want to change any part of your home, vinyl siding is not going to work for you.

In order to properly assess whether your home will benefit from vinyl siding and the differences in prices it’s best to get a quote on the project. Call All Point Construction today to get a free quote on your home’s siding project. They can discuss any available options with you about your siding as well as financing options for your project. Call 734-407-7110 today for more details.