The siding of a house is one of the most important aspects of its structure. It keeps your home safe from weather elements and can contribute immensely to your home’s resale value.
If you’re yet to put up your siding, don’t break a sweat, your home can go about 4 to 6 months without it. Failing to install your siding within the aforementioned timeframe can spell trouble.
Siding is one of the major reasons why your home remains warm and cozy during colder seasons. It aids in the overall insulation of a home.
For the timeframe you’re going to leave your house bare or without siding, make sure your house’s exterior is covered with house wrap; this would serve as siding till you finally get down to installing a finish.
It’s important you get your facts right when embarking on any home improvement or construction project, so here’s everything you need to know about working with siding.
Is Siding Necessary?
Siding is very necessary; it protects a home from pest intrusions, water damage, and a host of other unfavorable conditions. Without this protective barrier, the structure of your home will deteriorate considerably.
Let’s take a closer look at the benefits of house siding.
- Beautifies Home:
Siding comes in different colors, designs, and materials. It adds to the visual or curb appeal of a home.
By putting up these exterior finishes, you can save yourself the stress of painting your home. Siding materials are always painted evenly and last for a pretty long time.
The best part about using siding materials is that most of them can be hosed off with a power washer, making them super easy to clean.
- Help Saves Energy:
As you may know, elements of weather like heat and heavy winds have a significant impact on the overall energy performance of a home.
Siding can help lower the rate at which your home loses and gains heat by providing insulation to your home.
The most energy-efficient siding materials include wood, steel, fiber cement, and vinyl.
- Contributes to Resale Value:
If you ever put your home up for sale, replacing or carrying out repairs on old siding is a great way to increase the resale value of your home.
A beautiful or visually appealing home always has a lasting impression on prospective buyers.
- Preserves Architectural Structure:
Without siding, your home can suffer serious water and heat damage. Mold and mildew growth are also very likely occurrences in the event that your home is without siding.
The protective and resistive attributes of siding help preserve your home’s structure, therefore making it more inhabitable.
What Happens to A House with No Siding?
A house without siding is very vulnerable to attacks from pests such as termites, rodents, and the list goes on. Structural decay or deterioration is also bound to take place.
Siding a house is one home improvement or construction project that there’s no escaping, it might cost a lot of money to execute, but it’s definitely worth the investment.
A house without siding is just as susceptible to damage as a house with poorly installed siding, so make sure you’re very meticulous when siding your home.
Choose only quality siding materials from reputable manufacturers. If you don’t think you can handle this kind of project, do not hesitate to seek professional help.
How Long Can A House Stay Wrapped Without Siding?
A house without siding can stay wrapped for a limited period of 120 days (4 months) and 270 days (9 months). Do not wait for the specified time to elapse before installing your house siding.
To find out how long your house wrap will last without siding, go through the product information on the package it came in or contact the manufacturer for the relevant information.
Here are accurate timeframes popular house wrap products last without siding,
- Tyvek StuccoWrap should be covered within 120 days. Tyvek CommercialWrap can last till the 9th month before getting covered.
- Typar house wrap lasts for just six months.
- Barricade Plus house wrap can stay till nine months,
- R-Wrap lasts for nine months,
- The ZIP system house wrap lasts for 180 days and,
- CertainTeed CertaWrap lasts for the same number of days as the Zip system.
House wraps are usually used as the first layer after a house’s sheathing to protect the exterior walls against air leaks and moisture. Then house siding is installed on top of the sheet.
Kindly note that house wraps are not made to replace sidings; they might have similar functions, but their strengths and roles are very different.
If you leave house wrap on the exterior of your house for too long without siding, it’d weaken and become easy to tear. It’d also become susceptible to water damage. UV rays damage house wrap over time.
Mere house wrap can’t provide the warmth and a whole lot of benefits that siding provides all year long.
How Long Can Siding Be Exposed?
Siding can be exposed to the elements of weather and other unfavorable conditions for 20 to 40 years without incurring any significant damage. Its durability depends on the material it’s made from.
The following can be inferred from the above point: things like sun exposure or adverse weather conditions can negatively affect the lifespan of your siding.
To keep your siding in top-notch conditions or make it last, you must maintain it regularly. Here are a couple of things you can do,
- Inspect your siding every six months for signs of damage and if found, repair immediately.
- Re-paint when necessary
- Use some dish soap, water, vinegar (optional), and a bristled brush to clean your siding. This tip is best used on homes with vinyl siding.
Composite siding is the most durable type of siding on the market with optimal quality. Although it’s not so affordable, it’s definitely worth the buy. Wooden siding is also a very popular option.
The table below shows the different types of sidings, their various lifespan, and their prices per square foot.
| Types Of Siding | Lifespan | Cost |
| Vinyl Siding | 60 – 100 years | $1.50 – $8.50 |
| Fiber Cement Siding | 50 years | $2.45 – $12.85 |
| Hardie Board Siding | 50 years | $1 – $6 |
| Natural Wood Siding | 20 – 40 years | $6 – |
| Manufactured Wood Siding | 20 – 30 years | $3.58 – $8.58 |
| Aluminum | 15 – 40 years | $4.40 |
| Stucco Siding | 50 years | $7 |
| Brick Siding | 100 years | $5 – $15 |
| Everlast Composite Siding | Till infinity | $4.50 – $8 |
Final Thoughts
Siding a house may not be the most affordable project to embark on, but it’s undeniably worth the investment.
As long as you do not leave your house’s exterior exposed for too long before you get started, you’d have little to no issues with your installation.
Remember, a home without siding is just as susceptible to damage as a home with poorly installed siding, so make sure you’re very meticulous when putting up your siding materials.
We hope we were able to answer whatever questions you might have on siding a home. Do not hesitate to get a professional at any point in time you feel you can’t handle the workload.
Sources
https://barricadebp.com/news/how-long-can-house-wrap-be-exposed
