San Diego Vinyl Siding

When it comes to a home's exterior, nothing can change its appearance as quickly or dramatically as new siding. While there are several siding options on the market, in the past few decades lightweight vinyl siding has been an extremely popular choice among homeowners and builders. Even with its shortcomings, there are some very good reasons why people have come to love it. In San Diego, vinyl siding is certainly a viable option for an exterior remodel; it's good to know, however, the pros and cons of this, or any other material, before you begin shopping around for estimates.

Benefits of San Diego Vinyl Siding
Vinyl siding is inexpensive and quick to install, but these aren't its biggest selling points. When people choose vinyl siding for their homes, it is usually because of the look or its low-maintenance qualities. Vinyl siding comes in just about any color, and it comes in different styles and textures. Rarely does the case arise where a person interested in vinyl siding cannot find a look that appeals to him or her.

Even more desirable than appearance or price is how easy it is to care for vinyl siding. San Diego is well-known for its mild climate, but that doesn't mean that the exterior of a house can't get dirty. If that house is clad in vinyl, cleaning can generally be done using only a garden hose. Vinyl doesn't rot, and it never requires painting. It is not a food source for insects, and if you scratch it, since the color permeates all the way through, the blemish will be much less noticeable than it could be on other kinds of siding. Since it is a resilient material, minor impacts don't leave dents like they would with aluminum siding; and if you choose vinyl siding with a built-in backing, it can even reduce heat transfer from the inside of your home to the outside world. Also, many vinyl siding companies offer a lifetime guarantee for their products.

Drawbacks of Vinyl Siding in San Diego
Though vinyl has many good points as a siding material, there are a few negatives to be aware of. In the past, vinyl siding has been known to fade over time when exposed to a lot of direct sunlight, which is a condition that there is no lack of in southern California. This problem is much less of an issue today; higher-end vinyl products resist fading, and are made to lose only a fraction of a shade over the lifetime of the product.

Though vinyl siding doesn't dent due to minor impact, it can break under a certain degree of strain. This is more of a problem in harsher climates, as vinyl becomes brittle in very cold temperatures. More of an issue for San Diego residents is that vinyl siding isn't as resistant to heat and flame as some of its competitors like aluminum or fiber-cement. When exposed to an open flame, vinyl is likely to warp and melt, and in some cases, it can ignite; barbecue grills should be kept away from vinyl siding when in use.

Prices of San Diego Vinyl Siding
The average cost of installing vinyl siding on a home in San Diego is about $11,000, which is more than the national average of $7,500. Southern California residents can expect around 82 percent of their construction costs to be recovered in added value to their property.