Aluminum Vs. Vinyl: The Battle For The Cosmetics Of A Home

The first thing you notice about a home is the siding

, be it wood, aluminum or vinyl siding. It's the siding that stands out and shows your abode to the world at large. Siding is also a key factor in the health and safety of your home. So obviously, it is very important to understand the differences of each type of siding when making the decision to renovate your home. Since it will be the first thing others seen when they drive past your home and the main line of defense between the elements and you.

Vinyl Siding

Vinyl siding is latest form of house siding. Vinyl siding was originally developed in Columbus, Ohio in the 1950's. It quickly became the standard replacement for Aluminum siding. Vinyl is often made of PVC and tends to be double the thickness of standard aluminum siding. Today, Vinyl siding has completely overshadowed aluminum siding and is the number one choice when you are weatherproofing your home.

Vinyl tends to be cheaper than aluminum and provides a better form of insulation. Vinyl siding is also much lighter than aluminum and is dent and bend resistant as well as easier to install and keep clean. Another useful trait of vinyl siding is that it can be removed in sections should you ever need to repair a damaged portion of your siding. If the homeowner properly maintains it, vinyl siding will last around 50 years before replacement is necessary and will add value to the home.

On a less positive note, Vinyl can be heavily affected by the elements: in particularly cold climates it is prone to becoming hard and fragile, it may break or crack. While in areas of very high heat, the vinyl can warp as well as lose its colouring. It is also more prone to being damaged by strong winds.

Vinyl also has a much lower recycling rate and only certain types of vinyl will be accepted for recycling. This makes vinyl significantly less green and environmentally friendly. The development of PVC is also damaging to the environment and those who are concerned with the well being of the earth may want to choose aluminum or even wood siding.

Aluminum Siding

Aluminum siding had been the siding of choice until the invention of Vinyl siding. Since the innovation of Vinyl, aluminums market share has dropped 70 - 80%. Although no longer the top contender, it is still a popular choice amongst home owners and is favoured over wood siding due to its resiliency and easy repairs. Unlike vinyl siding, aluminum, siding is not affected by temperature and will retain its size and shape in hot or cold conditions.

It is also easily customizable as it can be cut to measurements that fit the home exactly. Aluminum is also more malleable than vinyl (vinyl is fitted with aluminum caps for the corners of buildings.) Aluminum siding is available in a wide variety of colors, again making it a very customizable choice of siding.

Coloring is achieved using baked on enamel which makes the siding vulnerable to scratching or flaking. This can be easily remedied because aluminum siding can be repainted, allowing for cheaper upkeep. When it comes to insulation, aluminum falls short of other insulators and is generally considered to be a poor choice. It is a metal and therefore will attract cold. It is possible to add an undercover of insulation to achieve a better rate of insulation, but it still falls short of vinyl siding.

Aluminum is also considerably more expensive than vinyl siding. For example, an average home outfitted with aluminum siding usually costs around $35, 000, making it a much less attractive choice in such economic times. While aluminum is usually less prone to weather damage from high winds, it is much more susceptible to denting and bending, and will ultimately require more repairing.

Aluminum is also significantly heavier than vinyl and more labor intensive to install and repair should you need to. It is for these reasons that Vinyl is favored today and Aluminum is generally not recommended.

And the Winner Is...

Ultimately, Vinyl siding is the smarter and more progressive choice for today's home owners and renovators, considering the state of the economy the reduced price of Vinyl siding and the significantly smaller amount of upkeep, barring acts of God, makes it a much cheaper, economical, and all around wiser choice.

by: Steve Field

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