Myth Vs. Fact: How Weather Can Impact Your Home’s Exterior Siding

Cedar Rapids is a four-season climate (even if it is the city of five seasons!), so we see varied weather patterns throughout the year. With this comes the occasional severe weather, like hail, strong winds or blizzards that can cause damage, major or minor, to your home’s exterior. If it’s time to replace your home’s siding, it’s important to understand what to expect from your siding’s performance against different weather conditions. Let’s go through what’s a fact and what’s stretching the truth.  

Myth: All Siding Materials Perform the Same in Any Weather

If you’ve heard that siding choice doesn’t matter against any weather—even severe weather—you’ve heard incorrectly. Depending on your material choice, it either will or won’t be able to stand against different types of weather. There’s a reason you see some materials used extensively in some parts of the country, like stucco in the Southwest, and not somewhere else like Iowa. Durable siding choices like vinyl siding, on the other hand, are popular across the country for good reason. 

Fact: Extreme Heat Can Warp and Damage Siding

Many siding options can be affected by the environment over time. If sizzling summer temperatures are high enough, your siding could be warped or even damaged. However, this damage is manageable. Higher temperatures used to be capable of melting darker siding colors, but with the current advanced durability standards in siding materials, that is no longer the case. For instance, Window World’s vinyl siding is strong enough to outlast whatever Mother Nature throws your way. 

Myth: Rain and Moisture Have Minimal Effects on Siding

Most days, the rain will slide harmlessly down your siding. However, in sustained rain, continual humid conditions or with improper installation, water damage can set in. This may require professional attention or siding replacement by professional installers to prevent further damage from reaching your home’s interior walls. Humidity also increases your chances of mold, mildew and rot, so you’ll need to be vigilant and perform regular checks on your siding for these elements. 

Fact: Freezing Temperatures Can Crack and Compromise Siding

When you’re living with frigidly cold temperatures in the winter, you have to prepare your home accordingly. Since freezing temperatures can damage your siding, cracking or otherwise compromising your protective layer against the outdoors, it may make sense to look into high-performance or insulated siding options.  

Myth: Strong Winds Have Little Impact on Siding Durability

Some sidings are simply better suited to sustained wind over time than others. With interlocking technology in place, high-performance vinyl siding can withstand significant wind damage. For example, our 6000 series vinyl siding even holds up to hurricane-force winds! That means you’re well protected from any severe weather you may encounter during storm seasons. 

Fact: Hail and Debris Can Dent and Chip Siding

With high wind comes debris. Something with enough sustained force behind it—whether that be debris from wind, hailstones or your neighbor’s football—can dent your siding, though vinyl siding won’t dent like aluminum or wood. Severe weather that can cause impact damage can even chip some siding options, leading to less effective protection the next time severe weather comes to your neighborhood. 

Myth: Siding Requires No Regular Maintenance in Any Climate

No matter where you are or what kind of exterior siding you have, some degree of maintenance is necessary to keep it in good condition. That doesn’t mean it has to be a time-consuming, constant process, though: Vinyl siding is low maintenance and only needs a rinse with your garden hose or a pressure washer a few times a year. Depending on your choice of siding, this maintenance may need to happen more often or could require more steps. 

Fact: Choosing the Right Siding Can Improve Your Home’s Energy Efficiency

Some exterior sidings do more than protect your home: they protect your comfort and your wallet, too. With something like vinyl siding, your home is wrapped in a blanket of insulation that maintains a comfortable temperature inside year-round. This insulation helps your HVAC system work more efficiently, so your home will be cool in the summer and warm in the winter with less effort. 

Choose a Siding Option You Can Trust

Time to replace your siding? Your local Window World is here to help. With our limited lifetime warranty and high-quality, affordable products, you’ll have peace of mind in the safety of your home. Reach out to the nation’s leader in exterior home remodeling for your free estimate!