Vinyl Siding Pros and Cons

Vinyl siding is a form of protective exterior that is used to clad a house or a building. Here are many different types of cladding available for this purpose and it is actually up to the home owner what kind they want for their abode. This particular type has been around for several decades already ad has had a lot of positive praise to it name along with some drawbacks.

Advantages
The advantages of using vinyl siding for a home is the fact that it is made of plastic and that it can withstand the elements to a very high degree compared to wood and some other kinds of materials used for cladding. Since the elements are among the top things that can do damage to a residential building, the plastic material is a plus for this. The more expensive type is the thicker type of cladding. It follows that it costs more because of the thickness that uses more PVC than the thinner ones. The thicker panels are very advantageous when it comes to insulating the house from the cold. The thickness also allows for a sturdier panel that does not easily crack in cold weather or gives way to being hit. Thinner panels tend to become brittle due to the exposure to cold and have a tendency to crack when they are hit or banged. The plastic material is also a big plus when it comes to the varieties that can be made. The design and colors that are readily available for home owners are never ending. Siding made from vinyl can be designed in almost anything that the manufacturer thinks will appeal to the mainstream consumers. Some consumers might even be able to have their own personal design done for a higher cost.

Disadvantages
One of the disadvantages of using this particular material for cladding is the environmental issues that come with it. The recycling of vinyl is only limited to new ones made from the factory and trimmed off from the panels. Scraps such as these can be recycled by the manufacturers themselves and need not go out of the factory for the recycling process. Old sheets stripped from houses are not viable for recycling and would have to stay in the environment for as long as there is not solution to it. This type of siding is also flammable, just like wood. This means that it is a fire hazard for buildings that deal with this hazard on a daily basis. Care needs to be done when gas or an open flame is used anywhere close to it. Once this type of siding catches fire or melts, the fumes can also be hazardous for the firefighters or anybody else who is close enough to inhale these.

These are some of the immediate advantages and disadvantages that come to mind when thinking of using this material for residential cladding. Home owners need to weigh the pros and cons when they are thinking of getting cladding for their homes.