When installing new siding, it’s smart to add insulation under it. Why? Because 25% of the walls in your house are made of studs that aren’t insulated. That adds up to one whole wall without insulation. Investing in insulation when you re-side your home will pay off the whole rest of the time you live there—in lower utility bills and indoor comfort. Plus, energy efficient homes attract homebuyers!
Read on to gain valuable insight into the value of including insulation in your next siding replacement.
Benefits of Installing Insulation Under Hardie Siding or Choosing Insulated Vinyl Siding
1. Save on your utility bills
Adding insulation under your new siding can save 5-12% on annual utility bills for older homes, depending on factors like your climate and home construction. The outcome? Heat will stay inside your home each winter, and air conditioning will remain indoors where it belongs each summer. You’ll preserve your HVAC system as a result, and won’t have to replace it as soon as you would have if your home wasn’t well insulated.
2. Increase the comfort of your home interior
When the chill of winter seeps through your walls, it can make your home interior uncomfortable. Adding insulation under your siding can create a warm and cozy house for you to enjoy each winter—uninterrupted by an unwelcome chill.
3. Decrease Moisture in Your Home
Water vapor can build up in your house from showers, cooking, and more. The moisture needs to exit your interior to prevent unhealthy mold and mildew growth. Insulation is designed with vapor permeability, so it allows water vapor to escape. Don’t risk the bacteria growth that can fester when moisture is trapped inside a house. Add insulation under your new siding, and enjoy the benefits!
4. Lower Noise Infiltration
Your home should be a refuge where you can reboot and refresh yourself. If neighborhood dogs, street noise, airplanes, and the sounds of heavy equipment permeate your walls, it can disrupt the calming atmosphere you desire inside your home. Enter insulation! When you install insulated vinyl siding or Hardie siding with insulation added under it, you’ll enjoy the extra benefit of less noise intrusion in your home. This will lower your stress level, improve your well-being, and make your home a more relaxing place to unwind.
Top Insulated Siding Material Options
Insulated Vinyl Siding
Insulated vinyl siding looks just like traditional vinyl, but it has a solid foam layer behind the panels that boosts insulation in your home. Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) is used on the outside with a foam backing made from thick, dense material called expanded polystyrene (EPS). This is perfectly fitted to the PVC siding and the layers are bonded together.
Insulated vinyl siding lays flat against a home, giving a more sleek, contemporary appearance than traditional vinyl siding (which juts out and adds dimension to your exterior). Insulated vinyl siding helps hide any imperfections in your exterior because the insulation provides an even cushion behind your siding panels and improves your home’s aesthetic. Unlike wall insulation, the foam backing is only 1.25 inches thick. With insulated vinyl, you’ll improve thermal insulation considerably and increase your home value.
Hardie Siding and Trim
When insulation is installed behind Hardie siding and trim, you’ll experience better energy efficiency and a more comfortable home interior throughout the year. It’s important that your contractor only uses up to 1” of insulation with Hardie siding.
What to Evaluate When Considering Insulated Siding
It’s essential to measure the value insulated siding will add to your home by saving you on utility bills, pest extermination, mold removal, and the potential health issues that come from mold exposure. With insulated siding, your home’s R-value will increase (meaning your house will perform better at resisting heat transfer).
The initial investment in insulation pays off from the day you have it installed and is well worth it!
You Deserve to Enjoy a Well Insulated Home
Don’t settle for subpar siding and poor insulation that leads to an uncomfortable home interior. Get the insulation your home needs along with new siding so you can start reaping the benefits of lower energy use and greater indoor comfort.
At Smart Exteriors, we are a James Hardie Elite Preferred contractor, so you can be confident your siding will be installed with precision. Learn more about how our new siding installation can breathe refreshing life back into your home.
