Siding

The siding of a home is the "skin" or outer most visible facing on the building. The siding on your new home is one of the most important and possibly expensive components. The type of siding is selected based on desired appearance, longevity, maintenance, and cost. There are many siding types such: as vinyl, stucco, brick, aluminum, wood, stone and synthetics. Each material has advantages and disadvantages, which require different maintenance procedures and involve different cost factors. Your inspector will identify the type of siding and explain the normal maintenance requirements of each type as well as the existing defects.

Vinyl Siding
One of the most popular forms of siding installed on new homes and used to refinish existing homes is vinyl siding. Usually installed with planks, vinyl siding is durable, easy to install and very low maintenance. Your inspector will look at the installation quality carefully, making sure the planks are not to tight which can cause buckling and that all areas are finished and secure to prevent water penetration. A good installation of vinyl siding has a very long life expectancy and allows for easy installation of additional insulation on older homes under the new vinyl.

Wood Shingle
Wood shingles and wood shakes are a very popular form of siding throughout the country. If maintained properly an installation of this type can last many decades. Wood siding does require ongoing maintenance such as staining and replacement of worn or loose shingles. The installation of the water proof barrier under the siding is crucial to protecting the exterior wall sheathing. Wood shingle siding is a more time consuming and expensive installation when quality materials are used. Your inspector will be carefully examining both the quality of the material used on the installation, which greatly affects the life expectancy, as well as the current condition of the siding. Minor repairs or worn shingles can be replaced easily and inexpensively provided that the areas are not too large.

Stucco
Synthetic stucco, often referred to as EIFS, consists of a polymer based laminate that is wet-applied, usually in two coats, to rigid insulation board that is fastened to the wall with adhesive, mechanical fasteners, or both. Polymer based (PB) systems, sometimes known as thin coat, soft coat, or flexible finishes, are the most common. The base coat for PB systems is usually only 1/16 in. thick and finish coat thickness is typically no thicker than the maximum sand particle size in the finish coat. While the PB skin repels water very effectively, problems arise when moisture gets behind the synthetic stucco and is trapped inside the wall. Trapped moisture eventually rots insulation, sheathing, and wood framing. It also corrodes metal framing and metal attachments. There have been fewer problems with EIFS used over solid bases such as concrete or masonry because these substrates are very stable and are not subject to rot or corrosion. Polymer modified mineral based (PM) exterior insulation and finish systems are sometimes known as thick coat, hard coat, or rigid finishes. The mineral base is Portland cement, while the polymer is usually an acrylic. PM systems have greater impact resistance than the PB systems, but are typically less than 1/3 the thickness of traditional three-coat stucco.

Aluminum
Aluminum siding first began appearing on homes in the early 1960s. This new product occasionally experienced corrosion, especially in areas of high humidity or salty ocean winds. Aluminum siding is still used today, but is not nearly as popular as vinyl. Aluminum planks can dent easily and are difficult to replace. Dark colors tend to fade in the sunlight. This type of siding does last indefinitely, but may wear cosmetically. Cosmetic repairs to aluminum siding can be costly

Wood Plank
Traditional horizontal lap siding goes by many names. It's known as clapboard siding in much of the East and as bevel siding elsewhere. Whatever you call it, it is one of the most popular and durable exterior building materials. Indeed, you'll find it in excellent condition on American homes more than 250 years old. Though long-lived, wood siding isn't all that tough. That's because it's usually milled from cedar, redwood or pine - softwood species that are easily cracked or gouged if struck by a ladder, falling tree branch or line drive. Another common problem: The boards tend to split if nailed too close to the end or edge, or if too many nails are used. This type of siding requires ongoing maintenance and your inspector will be checking carefully to see if the siding has been properly maintained.

Stone
Stone siding is perhaps the oldest siding material used in residential construction. Found on many older homes, it is still used today on mostly small portions of the exterior to add to the cosmetic appeal of other building materials. Primarily only older homes have complete stone siding installations. Stone work must be inspected carefully for settlement and water penetration. The joints, made of cement mortar, wear over time and must be pointed or repaired to prevent such occurrences. On newer veneer installations the stones are attached to the building with metal ties that keep the walls vertical and secure. There are many varieties of stones used for siding. Stone siding is expensive to install and almost always requires the work of a skilled craftsman to repair if required.

Brick
Brick is a durable and appealing installation used throughout the world. When installed and maintained properly it has an unlimited life span. Most modern installations use a veneer type of installation rather than solid brick. Veneer installations are a single row thick and tied to the home with metal ties. Solid brick installations found mostly on older homes are two rows thick held together with a bond course visible to the inspector. Your inspector will look carefully for proper installation, maintenance, and type of installation. Masonry siding installations such as brick or stone must have weep holes to allow moisture to escape. A common mistake of unskilled craftsman or homeowners is to cover them, or leave them out of the installation. This can cause extensive hidden damage to the protected building components.

Cement Stucco
Cement Stucco is durable and appealing siding installation. It can be installed directly onto cement blocks or over wire lathe. Cement stucco should not be confused with EIFS. It is not nearly as prone to the type of water damage associated with synthetic installations. Cement stucco can however be prone to cracking and surface damage. Your inspector will identify whether or not your perspective home has a real cement stucco installation and the condition it is in.