How to Choose More Energy-Efficient Siding

How to Choose More Energy-Efficient Siding

Are you building a brand new house or renovating your current abode? When it comes to siding installation, one of the important aspects you’ll need to consider is energy efficiency. Choose the wrong kind of siding, and it will end up cranking up the heating or air conditioning in your home.

If you want to see savings all year round in the form of lower energy bills, you should select energy-efficient siding for your home. The following are some helpful tips on how to choose more energy-efficient siding:

1.  Choose a material with a high R-value

You should also understand that different types of siding have their energy efficiency measured with the material’s R-value. The higher the R-value, the more efficient the material is. The Federal Trade Commission mandate directs that manufacturers include a label on each package that stipulates the specific R-value of the material.

So, which R-value is ideal for your home? The right R-value will depend on several things, including your geo-location, the type of HVAC system you have, and whether you want to see both energy efficiency and noise reduction.

Many energy experts recommend that your siding material should have at least an R-13 energy efficiency. Your city may also have building codes that establish the minimum R-value for the siding materials that should be installed in the area. The US Department of Energy has also created a zone map on its official website with corresponding R-Values to help homeowners find out their minimum insulation values

2.  Select insulated siding

You should note that most materials have an R-value of less than 1. Those materials include standard aluminum, steel, and vinyl siding. Therefore, none of these options will make a considerable difference by themselves in minimizing your energy costs.

To ensure that you will achieve the energy efficiency that you are looking for, you should opt for insulated siding, as opposed to the standard siding. Insulated vinyl siding is a popular choice for homeowners who are looking to add energy efficiency to their homes.

Insulated vinyl siding is basically standard vinyl siding that comes with an extra layer of expanded polystyrene insulation on the back. The insulation is glued to the back of the vinyl siding for a permanent connection.

Just like standard vinyl siding, insulated vinyl siding is usually installed with nails. Since insulated vinyl siding installation is similar to a standard vinyl installation, you will not incur additional labor costs.

As far as energy-efficiency with insulated vinyl siding is concerned, it’s good to note that the insulation adds some R-value to the vinyl siding, but only a meek amount. Although manufacturers claim that insulated vinyl siding contributes to a significant reduction in thermal bridging, experts say that the insulation adds an estimated R-2 to R7.

3.  Add insulation to your siding

One way to increase the R-value of your siding is to add insulation material to your siding. If you have chosen insulated vinyl siding and would like to increase the R-value, you can add insulators to your wall to boost energy efficiency.

Wood, rubber, fiberglass, cellulose, ceramics, and plastic are all good insulators. Adding these insulators is a significant improvement that will make a huge difference in the amount of energy saved in your home.

There’s no better way to add insulation than during new siding installation. There are two methods of adding insulation to your siding. They include:

  • Blowing insulation into target areas. Blow-in or loose-fill insulation is a method that involves blowing or spraying in insulation material into target areas using special equipment. Fiberglass and cellulose are two common blow-in insulators.
  • Adding flat rigid insulation to the siding. Insulators for this method of insulation come two types – batts and rolls. Insulation batts and rolls are generally made of fiberglass. The batts are usually rectangular and are normally sold flat in packages. As for the rolls, they mostly come in 8-foot lengths.

 

4.  Choose eco-friendly material

There are different types of siding materials, and they are all created differently. Some materials are created with insulation in mind, while others are not. Vinyl, steel, and aluminum are siding materials that have great insulation properties, which means that they perform well in terms of energy efficiency.

If you’re an advocate of green living, it’s important that you look beyond energy-efficiency when making your choice of siding. There are some eco-friendly materials that you can choose that can also offer a decent amount of insulation. These options include wood, brick, metal, rock, fiber cement, and stucco.

5.  Hire a reliable siding installation company

You could choose the most energy-efficient siding for your home, but if the siding is not installed properly, it won’t accomplish its intended purpose. For proper siding installation, you need a reliable siding installation company to perform this intricate task.

Other than boosting energy efficiency, there are various other benefits of properly installed siding. When your siding is installed by a reputable company like Truwin, you won’t have to worry about rot and mold issues that occur as a result of water damage penetration.

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