Repair or Replace - Siding edition
May 13, 2021 10:36 AM Subscribe
How should I (NE USA) spiff up a house with old aluminum siding that is not in great shape? Repair and repaint? Remove it and reside with vinyl?
The house is a rental with good tenants that has been in my family for 20 years and that we plan to hold for the foreseeable future. The color on the aluminum siding started flaking off in the last couple years so that you can see the silver in places. There are also areas where the siding is damaged or missing. This summer a lot of the siding will be removed so the house can be insulated and I'd like to improve the siding situation at the same time in a way that tries to balance environmental and economic concerns. What should I do?
Bonus Questions:
For the repair and repaint route - any tips on how to find someone to do the repair?
For the new vinyl siding route - there are different types/tiers of siding. Are there are functional differences between types or is just aesthetic differences?
The house is a rental with good tenants that has been in my family for 20 years and that we plan to hold for the foreseeable future. The color on the aluminum siding started flaking off in the last couple years so that you can see the silver in places. There are also areas where the siding is damaged or missing. This summer a lot of the siding will be removed so the house can be insulated and I'd like to improve the siding situation at the same time in a way that tries to balance environmental and economic concerns. What should I do?
Bonus Questions:
For the repair and repaint route - any tips on how to find someone to do the repair?
For the new vinyl siding route - there are different types/tiers of siding. Are there are functional differences between types or is just aesthetic differences?
Is cement board in your budget? It's a bit more labor intensive to install than vinyl, but not much. The materials are more expensive, but they last basically forever, and don't need to be repainted nearly as often as wood.
posted by The_Vegetables at 11:14 AM on May 13, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by The_Vegetables at 11:14 AM on May 13, 2021 [1 favorite]
Also wanted to mention cement board (aka "Hardie planks"). If you're of the DIY persuasion and want to attempt this yourself, the only advice I can offer is to watch a lot of videos and read all the docs, even if you've hung siding in the past. The dust is dangerous to breathe when you're cutting and I've heard it eats through blades like crazy.
When the day comes that I have to consider replacement of the vinyl siding on our house, I'm going to go with cement boards if at all possible.
posted by jquinby at 11:30 AM on May 13, 2021 [1 favorite]
When the day comes that I have to consider replacement of the vinyl siding on our house, I'm going to go with cement boards if at all possible.
posted by jquinby at 11:30 AM on May 13, 2021 [1 favorite]
Vinyl is pretty toxic to produce and can't be recycled. If the aluminum is removed, it can be recycled and may have a fair bit of value.
posted by theora55 at 11:33 AM on May 13, 2021 [2 favorites]
posted by theora55 at 11:33 AM on May 13, 2021 [2 favorites]
Ask your local fire department about how toxic vinyl fumes are in the event of a fire. If I recall correctly, a lot of people die from the fumes, not the smoke.
posted by cyndigo at 12:16 PM on May 13, 2021
posted by cyndigo at 12:16 PM on May 13, 2021
The other nice thing about vinyl is it traps moisture in the wall assembly. You'll never know it till the rot gets really bad.
Where you are (NE) you want a vapor retarder on the inside of the assembly, say under the gypsum board.
A breathable wrap should be on the outside - house wrap, etc.
You do not want two vapor barriers. You do not want the most vapor resistant layer to be on the outside of the wall assembly.
posted by rudd135 at 6:29 PM on May 13, 2021 [1 favorite]
Where you are (NE) you want a vapor retarder on the inside of the assembly, say under the gypsum board.
A breathable wrap should be on the outside - house wrap, etc.
You do not want two vapor barriers. You do not want the most vapor resistant layer to be on the outside of the wall assembly.
posted by rudd135 at 6:29 PM on May 13, 2021 [1 favorite]
My SIL had her aluminum siding repainted 10 years ago - it was done by a pro house painting business, it was a bit spendy, but it's holding up really well so far (climate: Buffalo NY) and it was definitely worth the cost. Her siding was all in really good condition other than the paint though.
If you can't get matching replacement siding to do repairs with, you might have to consider a mixed strategy, like maybe redoing one exterior wall in a new material and using the aluminum salvaged from that to replace missing or damaged sections in the other walls.
posted by Mary Ellen Carter at 12:57 PM on May 14, 2021
If you can't get matching replacement siding to do repairs with, you might have to consider a mixed strategy, like maybe redoing one exterior wall in a new material and using the aluminum salvaged from that to replace missing or damaged sections in the other walls.
posted by Mary Ellen Carter at 12:57 PM on May 14, 2021
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posted by aramaic at 10:50 AM on May 13, 2021 [1 favorite]