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Green Siding Options in New York and New Jersey |
On the fence about your next siding project? Worried about the
expense? Don’t wait until rotted and chipping destroys your
curb appeal. In fact, today there are cost effective options for
homeowners
looking to beatify their home and help the environment at the same
time. These days it’s easy to increase the resale value of
your home and save money on monthly utility bills while using environmentally
responsible products.
Here are some of the green exterior siding options available to
you, along with their pros and cons in terms of sustainability,
maintenance and overall “greenness”.
Solid Wood Siding
Nothing looks more sophisticated than solid wood siding, but it
does pose a few problems for those looking to turn their siding
green. First off, solid wood siding requires regular maintenance.
But you also need to consider that the most robust solid wood exterior
siding comes from old-growth trees—which are obviously not
easily renewable. Still, if you crave the sumptuous look of real
wood siding, consider using a FSC-certified reclaimed or repurposed
wood product like Terramai for a more eco-freindly choice.
Fiber-Cement Siding
Luckily, solid wood siding isn’t your only choice if you
still can’t live without the look of wood siding but don’t
want to commit to regular maintenance or the cost on the environment.
Fiber cement siding looks like real wood clapboard siding but is
actually made from cement, sand, and cellulose fibers. It’s
more affordable than wood and certainly more durable, but it’s
also energy efficient (because of its insulating properties) and
almost maintenance-free.
Aluminum Or Steel Siding
Aluminum or steel siding qualifies as a green siding option if
you choose recycled metal siding. Also, once the siding has completed
its lifecycle it can in turn be recycled. Metal is energy-intensive
to manufacture and doesn’t provide your home with any insulation,
but metal siding is cost effective to install and is fire and rot
resistant and has very low maintenance.
Engineered Wood
Engineered wood, like fiber cement, gives the appearance of real
wood siding without the maintenace, expense, and environmental
impact. Look for FSC-certified engineered wood siding when possible.
Also, you may want to consider the off-gassing potential of each
product. (Off-gassing is when chemicals in the product or material
leak out into the air, creating an unhealthy environment. You’re
probably most familiar with this phenomena in relation to paint.)
For example, urea-formaldehyde resin, a possible carcinogen, is
sometimes used in the manufacturing of some engineered woods products
and can off-gas. So in general, be on the lookout for formaldehyde-free
products or those that use phenol formaldehyde resin, which off-gases
less.
MyHome Siding
MyHome’s own brand of siding offers energy efficiency options
that save dramatically on heating and cooling costs. Whether you
choose our siding or would like us to order something and install
it for you, MyHome can complete some or every aspect of your green
siding job in NY & NJ. To find our more about MyHome siding
click here or call us today to find out how we can help make your
siding greener in NY, NJ, & CT. |
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