What Are Common Aluminum Siding Problems?
Aluminum siding is a very popular siding choice for homeowners that want strength and durability. Aluminum panel siding allows homeowners to choose from a vertical layout or a horizontal layout so that they can customize the look of their home. Aluminum siding won’t rot, warp or crack like wood siding but it also won’t rust like steel siding. However, there are some aluminum siding problems that are very important to know about.
Aluminum siding is also practically insect proof which can be a big selling point for homeowners that don’t want to run the risk of sharing their home with pests. Aluminum siding is great for repelling water and bacteria too, so homeowners that worry about their home developing mold from bacteria or water that gets inside often prefer aluminum siding to lower the chance of toxic mold growing in their home.
But that doesn’t mean that aluminum siding doesn’t have any problems. There are pros and cons to every different type of siding including aluminum siding. That’s why it’s so important for homeowners to take their time deciding what type of siding is right for them when choosing a new type of siding to put on their home.
Check out some of the most common aluminum siding problems and then you will be in a better position to decide if the aluminum siding is the right choice for your home:
Alumnimum Dents And Scratches Easily
Aluminum siding is not as sturdy as some homeowners would like, especially when compared to steel siding. The fact is that aluminum siding dents and scratches very easily and that can make the siding look bad and leave it open to the elements.
When one panel is dented and has to be replaced it’s quite easy to mistakenly dent other panels as well so that you may end up having to reside the entire home just to replace a few dented panels. And if you live in an area with high winds, lots of trees that blow about, or lots of ice and snow in the winter time there is a good chance that you will often have dented or scratched siding panels that will need to be replaced.
If you are concerned about your home looking good and you want siding that is going to be able to stand up to harsh weather without denting or take some hits from debris without scratching then aluminum siding might not be a great choice for your home.
Doesn’t Always Look Good Up Close
The aluminum siding looks great from a distance, especially when you use vertical siding panels to give the home a vintage looking rustic charm. From a distance, your home will look great. But often homeowners are not happy with the way that aluminum siding looks close up.
It can look a little flimsy, especially if you don’t get the more expensive thicker gauge aluminum siding panels. If you are planning on selling your house anytime soon or if you just want to be sure that your house looks really nice both from the curb and up close aluminum siding panels may not be the best choice.
If you don’t really mind the way that the house looks up close then you might want to choose aluminum siding for the many benefits that it has, but if the beauty of your home matters to you then you should know that aluminum siding doesn’t look good on every home.
Makes Noises In High Winds Or Exposed To Hot Sun
Even though aluminum siding is pretty sturdy and won’t come loose in bad weather if it’s installed properly you might hear a sharp pinging noise coming from the siding when there are very high winds or when the sun is very hot.
It’s due to the unique properties of the siding and while it doesn’t impact the function of the siding some homeowners are disturbed by hearing sharp popping and pinging noises coming from the siding of their home. If you don’t live in an area that has extreme weather this problem may never happen to you, but summers are getting hotter every year and winters are getting colder so it could end up being a problem in the future even if it isn’t one now.
Many homeowners don’t care about the noise as long as it doesn’t impact the integrity of the siding but some do and it’s a common problem that you should know could happen when you install aluminum siding on your home.
Difficult To Replace
Aluminum siding is difficult and expensive to replace. With wood siding and steel siding when one panel gets damaged you can often just replace that one panel and not have to get a big expensive repair done every time a siding panel gets hit by a tree branch or has some other kind of defect. But because aluminum siding dents and scratches so easily and because it’s a relatively soft metal it is very difficult to just replace one or even two panels.
You may have to replace the siding on the entire side of the house just to replace two damaged panels, for example. If you have to replace a panel on the front of the house or the side of the house that faces that street so you need all the panels to be uniform looking you may have to have the entire wall of siding replaced. Because of the high cost to replace siding many homeowners decide to choose a sturdier siding material even if the upfront cost of that siding is higher than the upfront cost of the aluminum siding.
Fades Easily
Unlike steel siding aluminum siding fades pretty quickly. Vinyl siding can fade too, but because the color of the paint is baked onto the metal when it’s exposed to the sun for a long period of time like during a long and hot summer, the colors can start to fade even if the siding is relatively new.
For some homes the faded color can actually add to the appeal of the home. Vintage style homes and craftsman homes can look very nice with a weathered or faded siding appearance. But it’s not a good look for every home. And if you want your home to be a vibrant color like a dark red, dark gray, or dark green the fading can really make the house look old and uncared for. Choose your siding carefully if you want to choose a vivid color for your home so that you’re not stuck with faded siding after just a year or two.
Colors Get Chalky And Dull
Even if your aluminum siding color doesn’t fade the colors could end up looking dull and chalky, especially up close. Exposure to the weather and time can make the colors look muddy and not crisp or vibrant. Even though this fading won’t affect the integrity of the siding and it will still function well many homeowners are reluctant to take the chance that they will spend a lot of money to get their home sided and that siding will look faded or dull in just a couple of years.
Homeowners that want their homes to still look colorful and vivid ten years after the siding goes up might want to choose steel siding or even some high-quality vinyl siding.
Get Vinyl Siding Instead
Vinyl siding won’t deteriorate over time and is the true best material. That’s why Feldco specializes in vinyl siding. If you’re in need of quality material for your next siding job, get a Free Quote.