Does your home need new siding? Hiring a team of licensed and certified siding contractors ensures you receive the highest quality of work, as well as superior customer service. Installing siding can give your home a dramatic facelift that makes it appear like it is brand new. Siding enhances the curb appeal of your home, which is one of the many factors that determine your property value. However, siding also delivers functional benefits, such as improving energy efficiency and preventing damage caused by the accumulation of moisture.

The result of a siding project is mostly dependent on the skillset and professionalism exhibited by the home remodeling contractors that you hire. Improperly installed siding can cause irreversible water damage behind the panels and shingles that collect mold and mildew. Hiring the wrong siding contractor also can cause permanent structural damage and even make the manufacturer’s warranty null and void.

What Types of Related Siding Services Do the Best Siding Contractors Provide?

Another factor to consider when hiring a team of siding contractors is to determine what types of related services the contractor provides. The highest-rated siding contractors offer four key related services.

Installation

The bread and butter of siding contractors consists of completing siding installation projects. Siding contractors work with different siding materials, such as vinyl and aluminum. Other siding contractors work with specific manufacturers and their products like Hardie Board fiber cement. During the planning of a siding installation project, the contractor that you hire should ask questions to determine what type of siding material is the best match for your home.

Choosing the right type of siding for your home is important for several reasons. Some types of siding perform exceptionally well in humid climates, as well as hold up much better than other types of siding materials during severe winter and tropical storms. Although vinyl siding is an affordable option for most property owners, the material tends to display wear and tear after just 10 years. On the other hand, other types of siding materials can last more than 50 years.

Removal/Replacement

The best siding contractors do much more than offer installation service. They also complete siding removal and replacement projects on homes that already have siding installed. After several years, you might start to see dents on your home’s exterior where siding protects against weather and other damaging elements. Not only is dinged-up siding an eyesore, but it also is an indication that your home is compromised structurally.

Siding contractors that remove and replace damaged siding are especially helpful after a storm or another type of natural calamity that requires an emergency response.

Repair

Some unethical siding contractors try to squeeze every last dollar out of customers by performing services they do not need to perform. For example, instead of simply repairing siding damage, an unethical siding contractor tells a customer that the damaged home requires the removal of siding and the installation of new siding. Siding repair service should be one of the four related services offered by any siding contractor that makes your shortlist of candidates.

Power Washing & Painting

After a siding contractor removes siding for replacement or installs siding on a home for the first time, the contractor must power wash and paint the surfaces located under the siding. Power washing and painting surfaces ensure your home continues to present visual appeal, as well as protect your home from the damage caused by prolonged exposure to moisture.

Mares & Dow

Contact your local skylight contractors at Mares & Dow Construction and Skylights today to transform your home. We have over 40 years of installation and consulting experience.

When you walk around the exterior of your home, you should notice a protective layer of material called siding. Installing siding on the exterior of a house delivers several benefits, such as boosting curb appeal and preventing moisture from causing damage to your home. You can install siding to enhance the color of your home, as well as complement a more dominant design theme. To choose the right siding for your house, you should consult with a team of experienced siding contractors.

Architect Amy A. Alper summarizes the dual benefits of hanging siding. “From a functional point of view, siding gives you protection,” Alper said. “From an architectural point of view, there’s an interest now in using a variety of materials to highlight special features on a home. For example, using stone or Western red cedar to highlight an entry.”

You have several factors to consider before deciding what type of siding is best for your home. Factors to consider include price, durability, aesthetic appeal, resistance to moisture, and ease of installation.

Let’s take a quick look at the four most popular types of siding.

Wood

Wood siding offers a wide variety of appearances, from rustic charm like a cottage to rich tones that present a Cape Cod-type ambiance. If maintained correctly, wood siding can be highly durable, even in regions of the country that experience severe weather such as blizzards and hailstorms. By following the recommended maintenance schedule, wood siding can last from 10 to as long as 100 years.

Wood siding, which runs between $5 and $10 per square foot installed, is popular among home remodeling contractors.

Vinyl

If you are looking for an affordable siding option that offers design versatility and easy maintenance, then installing vinyl siding represents the best siding for your home. Although some residential designers do not like the plastic-like appearance of vinyl, the availability of several types of colors and styles should help you come up with an attractive design. With the ability to withstand strong impacts, vinyl siding lasts longer than any other type of siding. Since it requires few tools to install and is readily available at home improvement stores, installing vinyl siding represents one of the easiest do-it-yourself projects.

Brick

Constructed from oven-fired clay, brick is available in different sizes and textures to match your design vision. You can find brick siding in English, Tudor, and Colonial residential designs. Brick exudes both charm and panache, which makes it the most visually appealing type of siding if matched with the right home exterior design.

Because water can penetrate brick veneer, you have to install a membrane between the brick veneer and your home to protect the structure.

Fiber-Cement

Presenting an appearance similar to wood or stucco at a lower cost, fiber cement has emerged as one of the most popular choices of siding for homeowners. Fiber-cement siding is low maintenance, as well as the material resists termites and possesses a high non-flammable rating. The siding material can last as long as 50 years, with the average cost per square foot installed running between $6 and $12, and it also helps retain your home’s charm during a remodeling project.

Mares & Dow

Contact your local skylight contractors at Mares & Dow Construction and Skylights today to transform your home. We have over 40 years of installation and consulting experience.

Due to the abundance of helpful information presented in online articles and blog posts, a growing number of homeowners have assumed at least some responsibility for completing home renovation projects. However, some items on a home renovation do-to list require the expertise and experience of a licensed contractor, as is the case with hiring siding contractors to work on your home renovation project.

The satisfaction you feel after completing a do-it-yourself home renovation project might make it worthwhile to take the time and put in the effort to get things done. Nonetheless, some projects such as removing and adding siding require professionals to achieve optimal quality and durability. Although you might pay a little more for the work completed by a licensed and certified team of siding contractors, the work that you get should far exceed the quality of the work you would have put in to install siding on your home.

One of the reasons to hire siding contractors for home renovation concerns the big picture, which is increasing the value of your property. In addition to the big picture of an increase in home value, you should hire a team of siding contractors for three additional reasons.

Considerable Experience

No matter how easy a tutorial is online concerning the installation of siding or the fact that you have some experience installing siding, nothing compares to the extensive experience siding contractors bring to the table. These professionals go through comprehensive training programs to learn the different skills developed for the siding trade. The best contractors require employees to demonstrate a certain level of proficiency before giving them more on-the-job responsibilities. It takes years for a siding contractor to assume a leadership position to assume siding removal and installation projects.

Extensive Knowledge

Experienced siding contractors understand how to install panels that evenly attach to the side of a home. They also know how to ensure siding panels remain parallel to each other even during the worst weather delivered by Mother Nature. Siding contractors that have years of experience know how to install siding that prevents leaks, air loss, and the infestation of pests. They also can help you answer the frequently asked questions that pertain to siding projects.

You can watch all the tutorials online and receive advice from an expert working at the local home improvement stores and still never reach the level of knowledge possessed by a siding contractor.

Quicker Completion of Your Project

Home remodeling projects typically cost a lot of money to complete, with the value of materials representing the costliest expense. There also is the timeless saying of “Time is money,” which in your case refers to the longer time it takes you to finish a siding installation project than the time it takes for siding contractors to finish the same project. Instead of spending your weekends trying to finish a siding removal and installation project, you hire a team of professionals to get the job done right in a fraction of the time it takes you to complete the home renovation project.

Bonus Reason to Hire Siding Contractors

Where your home is located in the United States plays a significant role in determining the best type of siding panels, as well as the most effective type of roofing material to prevent leaks and heat from escaping. Although vinyl siding is the preferred type of siding because of its affordability, aesthetic appeal, and rugged durability, the siding contractors that you hire for your home remodeling project might recommend another type of panel or a combination of vinyl and another type of panel.

Mares & Dow

Contact your local skylight contractors at Mares & Dow Construction and Skylights today to transform your home. We have over 40 years of installation and consulting experience.

A home remodeling project requires meticulous planning from hiring a trustworthy general contractor to obtaining the right building permits. The project gets even more difficult for the remodel of a historic home. One of the decisions you have to make before starting a home remodeling project concerns selecting the best siding contractors.

Age is not the only factor that determines the designation of a historic home. Other factors that play a role in designating a home as historic include using traditional materials and closely following the craftsmanship techniques used during the period when the first owner constructed the house. Original craftsmanship applies to installing historically accurate siding during a home remodeling project.

Let’s review the best James Hardie siding options for your historic home.

Wood Siding Versus Synthetic Siding

Before we specify the best James Hardie options for your historic home, let’s first compare the attributes between wood and synthetic siding.

Lifespan

One of the many frequently asked questions that we receive concerns the lifespan of different types of siding. Synthetic siding such as vinyl typically has a lifespan between 50 and 60 years, which covers three generations of a family. However, wood siding delivers much more longevity that can exceed a lifespan of 200 years.

Energy Efficiency

You might hear about many myths that regard siding, and one of the most common myths concerns the energy efficiency of synthetic siding. The National Park Service published a Preservation Brief that dispels the myth that synthetic siding does a better job of trapping heat and preventing cold air from entering a home. At the heart of disproving the myth is the point that walls are not where most warm and cool air is lost in a home.

Maintenance

Synthetic siding requires more maintenance, especially when the time comes to prepare for seasonal changes. Installing synthetic siding also might create more maintenance issues for other parts of your house. You do not have to clean wood siding as often, as well as have to deal with siding expanding in summer and contracting in winter.

Historical Accuracy

Wood siding represented the most historically accurate type of siding because the use of wood to construct homes goes back as far as the first settlers. Not only is wood the more significantly relevant type of material to use for siding, but it also ensures the use of authentic tools and the implementation of geographically accurate craftsmanship.

What Types of Options Do I Have for Wood Siding?

Wood offers as many, if not more options than what synthetic siding offers.

Pine and cedar represent the two most common types of wood siding, with cedar doing a better job of resisting rot and the damage caused by insects. Cedar also is more dimensionally stable, which means it does not crack, expand, or contract. One of the aesthetic appeals of cedar is the wide variety of color options.

Engineered wood looks, feels, and provides similar advantages as solid wood, without you having to pay more for siding. However, when the time comes to install wood siding for your historic home, you should go with pine or cedar to ensure the utmost historical integrity, while enjoying the benefits of low maintenance and high energy efficiency.

Mares & Dow

Contact your local skylight contractors at Mares & Dow Construction and Skylights today to transform your home. We have over 40 years of installation and consulting experience.

You do not get a second chance to make a positive first impression.

It is a saying that has relevance in a wide variety of settings, from nerve-racking job interviews to gut-wrenching first dates. In the housing industry, the saying has to do with making a positive first impression of a home. A visually appealing exterior design coupled with a finely manicured lawn can prompt visitors to your neighborhood to do a double take for a second chance to view an attractive property.

When you think of the curb appeal of your home, you might not think much about siding, but you should. The color of your siding makes a huge difference in establishing curb appeal that pays homage to the saying, “You never get a second chance to make a positive first impression.”

As a team of highly-rated siding contractors, Mares Dow helps homeowners choose the right siding color for their houses. Let’s review a few tips for choosing siding color.

Complement Your Home’s Exterior Design

The type of exterior design for your home is one of, if not the most important factor to consider when considering ways to boost curb appeal. It is simply a matter of understanding what comes first, your house’s exterior design or the color of the siding. Whether your home exudes a Craftsman, Colonial, Victorian, or Mediterranean motif, you want the color of the siding to complement the design, not make a different design statement.

For example, the color of the siding installed for a farmhouse-designed home should be neutral to allow the farmhouse motif to be the most important element of curb appeal.

Stay Within the Neighborhood’s Style

Blending in your neighborhood in terms of exterior design seems counterintuitive when you want your home to “pop” when visitors to the neighborhood pass by your property. However, you can achieve the right balance between presenting a unique design that captures the attention of visitors to the neighborhood and seamlessly blends in with the other homes surrounding your property.

A team of experienced residential general contractors can help you achieve the optimal design balance when choosing siding color for your home.

Current Trends Matter

When home remodeling contractors plan for a project, one of the most important factors for exterior design concerns current trends. When we mention current trends, we are not talking about exterior design ideas that are “Here today, gone tomorrow.” Fleeting trends deliver a poor return on your home improvement investment. Instead, you want the color of your siding to reflect a long-term exterior design trend.

A few of the most common exterior design trends that have staying power include the use of pastels, as well as bold, high-contrast, or monochromatic color schemes.

Refer to Your Home’ Accent Colors

Although complementing the exterior design of your home is important when choosing siding color, you also should consider the color of the accent points. Referring to the color scheme of shutters, window trim, and exposed beams can help you choose a siding color that visually supports important accent features. You also should refer to the color of the pillars, front door, and porch railings.

You can choose a similar color for siding as other home accents, and still make the siding stand out by choosing a different tint or shade. This is an especially helpful tip for brighter colors, such as red and yellow that convey a cheerful exterior ambiance.

The Bottom Line

Although choosing siding color for your home does not represent the most important decision you can expect to make for a remodel, it can be the difference that enhances the visual appeal of your house. Working with a team of experienced siding contractors ensures you select the right color for siding.

Mares & Dow

Contact your local skylight contractors at Mares & Dow Construction and Skylights today to transform your home. We have over 40 years of installation and consulting experience.

First impressions matter.

Whether you arrive early to an interview or pick up the check after a meal with a work associate you have met for the first time, the first few seconds of an encounter go a long way toward determining the success of building a positive relationship. For a home, the positive first impression is called curb appeal.

Curb appeal refers to the value of your home’s exterior. You have several ways to enhance the curb appeal of your house and thus, increase the value of the entire property. You can hire siding contractors to install vinyl siding or contract with a landscaping company to add neatly trimmed hedges in front of a bay window. Another type of strategy to enhance the curb appeal of your home is to give it a more rustic, charming appearance.

This means adding wooden walls and other wooden accessories to help you boost the curb appeal of your house.

The Visual Appeal of a Log Cabin

What comes immediately to mind when you see a log cabin or a home constructed with wooden walls that exude the aesthetic appeal of a log cabin? You probably think the home produces a cozy, relaxed ambiance that is the perfect place to unwind after a hectic day at work. When you hire home remodeling contractors to add wooden walls to your home, you transform your property into one of the most visually appealing properties in the neighborhood.

A wooden screen, which is a wall of wood designed with horizontal slats, adds visual variety to your home while also providing much-needed shade and privacy. Adding a wooden screen can conceal a front patio where you entertain guests or create a barrier located between your home and an adjacent lot. Wooden screens also create an effective backdrop for installing outdoor lights. You can go with all horizontal wooden slats or mix them up by blending the slats with other materials such as brick, cement, and/or pavers.

The Role of Siding

Adding accent siding that produces a full or partial wooden wall appearance can increase the curb appeal of your home. It also creates design diversity with the other elements of your home’s exterior. Many homes constructed during the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s in the mountainous regions of the United States used T1-11 siding, which is a wood or wood-based siding product that presents a natural, wood-grained appearance. If your home improvement budget cannot fit the cost of installing logs to create a log cabin ambiance, T1-11 siding might be the solution to enhance the curb appeal of your house.

The Little Additions Matter

Accent pieces designed with wood, such as a mailbox and planter box, can improve the curb appeal of your home if you choose not to add wooden walls. Replacing an old series of cement steps with wooden decking generates visual appeal without busting the home improvement budget. Adirondack chairs, benches, and tables promote a laid-back, social ambiance that plays off the other exterior design elements of your home.

If you decide to renovate your home by adding wooden walls to create a log cabin look, make sure your vision complies with all the rules followed by the members of your neighborhood association.

Mares & Dow

Contact your local skylight contractors at Mares & Dow Construction and Skylights today to transform your home. We have over 40 years of installation and consulting experience.

One of the most important ways to increase the value of your home involves hiring an experienced team of siding contractors to install siding that provides you with decades of both aesthetic and functional benefits. Adding the highest grade of siding improves the energy efficiency of your home, as well as allows you to preserve the visual quality of exterior painting projects. For all the benefits delivered by siding, one fact remains the same as it does for many other types of home improvement projects.

The passage of time can reduce the aesthetic and functional appeal of even the highest quality of siding.

You have several options when it comes to the material used to create siding. Regardless of the type of material used to manufacture siding, two common problems can develop to diminish the aesthetic and functional appeal of the exterior feature of your home. Fading and shipping represent common problems for homeowners that want to preserve the quality of a home siding project.

Let’s discover how to prevent fades and chips in siding.

How to Prevent Siding From Fading

Prolonged exposure to the sun’s ultraviolet rays is the number one reason why even the highest grade of siding fades in color over time. Since you cannot plant and grow trees fast enough to block the sun from shining on your home’s siding, what other options do you have to prevent fading from diminishing the value of your home?

Washing siding with a non-abrasive chemical infused in water can prevent the level of oxidation that initiates the fading process. You also can add a little bit of vinegar to warm water to at least slow down the oxidation process that causes colored siding to fade. When you shop for the right siding to install on your home, choosing a lighter shade of color is an effective strategy for eliminating unsightly fading. Lighter-colored siding conceals fading much better than a darker shade of siding such as a dark blue or gray.

Consulting with an experienced team of home remodeling contractors can help you select the right color for the installation of siding.

How to Prevent Chips in Siding

While the sun takes its time diminishing the aesthetic and functional value of siding, nature delivers a much quicker blow in the form of severe weather. Whether it is a strong summer thunderstorm or a lengthy winter weather event, Mother Nature can wreak havoc on a home by causing the siding to chip in many places.

One of the most effective strategies used to prevent chips from diminishing the quality of siding is to prune tree branches located close to your home to prevent the branches from causing chips and dents. Adding a sturdy awning over at least part of your home can block ice pellets from chipping the siding installed for both aesthetic and functional reasons.

To address the most violent storms that usher in high winds, removing lawn furniture ensures your home’s siding does not get hit with heavy objects blown across your property at extremely high speeds.

If you notice a visual and/or structural problem with siding, act with a sense of urgency by contacting a highly-rated team of residential general contractors. Failing to address siding issues can cost you more money in the long run than taking care of the home improvement issues in the short term.

Mares & Dow

Contact your local skylight contractors at Mares & Dow Construction and Skylights today to transform your home. We have over 40 years of installation and consulting experience.

When you think of high-wind zones in the United States, the first thought that pops into your head might be the image of a raging hurricane bearing down on the Gulf Coast or Atlantic Coast states. From the southern tip of Texas to the coast of Maine, hurricanes, tropical storms, and classic Nor’easters can cause plenty of damage to a home. However, the heart of the wind tunnel in the United States sits smack over the heartland, from Wichita, Kansas to Cleveland, Ohio and from Minneapolis, Minnesota to Dallas, Texas. If you live in a high-speed wind zone, what is the best siding to withstand Mother Nature’s fury?

Our team of siding contractors has the answer.

What Type of Siding Withstands High-Speed Wind Zones?

Vinyl Siding

Vinyl siding represents one of the most popular choices for siding in the United States, but does vinyl do a good job of retaining its structural integrity during high-wind events such as a derecho or tornadic outbreak? According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), vinyl siding should withstand winds that reach as high as 110 miles per hour in addition to the heavy rain associated with a supercell thunderstorm. However, many high wind events such as the recent South Dakota derecho generate winds in excess of 200 miles per hour.

Wood Siding

Wood siding typically is a bit stronger than vinyl and asphalt siding, but is the small increase in support enough to withstand the power of a Category 3 hurricane that strikes the Florida coast near Miami? The answer is wood siding does not qualify to be named the best siding for high-speed wind zones. It might not withstand the force of a standard Pacific Coast storm that rolls into the Bay Area at least one time every winter.

Fiber Cement Siding

If you polled homeowners in hurricane zones, fiber cement siding hands down wins the contest for the best siding for high-speed wind zones. In fact, fiber cement siding is code-compliant for even the strictest standards established by state and local governments for residential projects. Although the investment in fiber cement siding is higher than it is for wood and vinyl siding, the long-term savings comes in the form of a much longer lifespan, even if a home feels the brunt of an unusually high number of major wind events.

In addition to the durability of fiber cement siding when it comes to withstand extremely high winds, this type of siding also comes in a wide variety of colors to enhance the visual appeal of a home. Not only does fiber cement siding withstand high-speed winds, but the siding also is fireproof and waterproof. Another benefit of installing fiber cement siding is you can acquire the material when buying soffit, backer board, and trim options. This allows you to prepare a comprehensive hurricane plan by adding more hurricane-resistant exterior features.

Working with an experienced team of home remodeling contractors can help Bay Area homeowners install fiber cement siding before the next Pacific Coast storm barrels into San Francisco.

Mares & Dow

Contact your local skylight contractors at Mares & Dow Construction and Skylights today to transform your home. We have over 40 years of installation and consulting experience.

When the time comes to consider home remodeling projects, working with an experienced team of siding contractors can help boost the value of your house without you having to bust the home improvement budget. As with adding a retaining wall, installing vinyl siding delivers several aesthetic and functional benefits that generate a healthy return on your investment. Although updating the siding on your house might not seem as worthwhile as other home remodeling projects such as installing a marble island in the kitchen, the benefits of installing vinyl siding make the investment one of the most impactful investments you can expect to make.

Let’s review a few of the benefits that are associated with adding vinyl siding to your home.

Rugged Durability

Vinyl siding takes the strongest punches from Mother Nature and remains in mint condition. Whether it is large hailstones or heavy winds, vinyl siding does not compromise its structural integrity. Vinyl is moisture resistant, which prevents rotting from diminishing the value of your house. Moisture does not warp vinyl siding to keep the sleek material intact for years to come. Because of its superior durability, manufacturers of vinyl siding often offer a lifetime warranty or a prorated 50-year warranty for successive homeowners.

Requires Little Maintenance

Although the cost of installing siding should be a factor in deciding whether to choose vinyl as the material for a siding installation project, you also need to consider the cost of maintaining siding throughout its lifespan. Vinyl siding represents the lowest cost siding option for homeowners because it requires little effort to keep vinyl siding looking like it is in pristine condition. All you have to do is to clean the siding material one time every year, which does not require the services of a professional cleaning service.

Cost Effective

As one of the most experienced home remodeling contractors in the Bay Area, Mares & Dow recommends vinyl siding because it is a cost-effective material that helps you get more for your money than any other type of siding material. Installing vinyl siding is cheaper than other siding material options. The greatest financial benefit of adding vinyl siding to your home is the material can save you a substantial amount of money on heating and cooling bills. Vinyl siding prevents the loss of heat because of a scientific process called thermal bridging, which acts as a protective blanket over wall studs that allow heat to escape from a home.

Easy Installation

One of the reasons why vinyl represents the best option for siding is it is easy to install. Vinyl is not heavy and in most cases, it comes with drilled holes that allow a home improvement contractor to attach this type of siding to wall studs. Installing other types of siding can lead to a long installation process that costs you more money. Although installing vinyl siding is easier than installing other types of siding, we encourage you to hire a properly credentialed home remodeling company to complete the project for you.

Enhanced Curb Appeal

Adding vinyl siding can improve the appearance of your home, which often increases the value of your home as well, Whether you plan to sell your house or simply want to make it worth more as the most significant asset in your portfolio, installing vinyl siding makes your home’s exterior stand out in the neighborhood for all the right reasons.

Mares & Dow

Contact your local skylight contractors at Mares & Dow Construction and Skylights today to transform your home. We have over 40 years of installation and consulting experience.

Whether you live in Caribou, Maine, Truckee, California, or even Little Rock, Arkansas, you understand the importance of winter-proofing your home before the first Arctic blast slams into the United States. Although the roof takes the most abuse from Old Man Winter, the siding you install also makes a difference when keeping sleet, heavy snow, and cold temperatures from turning your home into an uncomfortable place to live.

Our team of siding contractors recommends siding materials that withstand the annual onslaught of winter. Let’s review the candidates for the title of the best siding for cold weather.

Wood

Wood siding does well in winter weather conditions if you properly treat and maintain the siding material throughout the year. Properly treated and maintained wood siding is an effective strategy for winter proofing, as well as an effective tool to increase the energy efficiency of your house. You should seal wood siding with exterior paint or stain to provide the ultimate in siding protection.

Stone

Although stone is more expensive than other types of siding, the tough material provides the best insulation of any other type of material used to install siding. High winds and heavy snow have a difficult time diminishing the super-tough composition of brick and stone. You do not have to perform much maintenance, but you do have to install brick siding between the masonry and your home to prevent water damage.

Fiber Cement

Fiber cement ranks in the middle of the list of the best siding for cold weather. The mixture of sand, cement, and cellulose fibers performs well as insulation and it repels moisture. However, it is vulnerable to the damage caused by high winds, such as the winds that blow in during a blizzard. If you live in a climate that experiences a short-lived winter season, fiber cement might be the right type of siding for your home.

Metal

Because of durability and its visual appeal, metal siding remains one of the most popular materials used for siding in the United States. The super-strong material resists the damage caused by hail and high winds, as well as the moisture that melts from long-standing ice and snow. Metal siding also does a great job of insulating your home during winter. Because of its incredibly long lifespan, metal is the ideal type of siding for property owners that experience each of the four seasons.

The Non-Contenders

You see stucco siding in arid climates such as the deserts of the Southwestern United States. Although stucco is an effective insulator, it does not repel water effectively, which can lead to rot and mold issues when the frozen precipitation melts during early spring.

Vinyl is one of the most popular types of siding, just not for property owners that live in cold climates. Vinyl is susceptible to the warping, cracking, and buckling caused by cold temperatures.

The Verdict

Because of the ability to insulate, repel moisture, and remain in mint condition despite heavy winds, steel and stone represent the two best siding materials for people that live in cold weather climates. Learn more about siding by visiting our frequently asked questions page.

Mares & Dow

Contact your local skylight contractors at Mares & Dow Construction and Skylights today to transform your home. We have over 40 years of installation and consulting experience.

Curb appeal.

It is a term real estate agents use in reference to boosting the value of a home. However, the term curb appeal also applies to landlords that want to make their rental properties as visually appealing as possible. One way to charm your tenants is to work with one of the best siding contractors in your area.

New siding gives your rental property a clean finish that is easy to maintain. The best siding provides years of rugged durability, as well as is resistant to issues such as rust, dents, and mold. You do not have to spend every spring painting over eyesores, nor do you have to repair siding before the onset of winter.

Your tenants take pride in where they live. Let’s look at a few ways you can charm your apartment tenants by installing high-quality siding.

Lap Siding

If you want to go with a classic look that exudes tradition, lap siding presents an inviting appearance. Remember you not only want to retain current tenants, but you also want to attract potential tenants by showing them that you care about the appearance of your rental property.

Lap siding consists of long and narrow boards that residential remodeling contractors nail horizontally in a pattern that overlaps across the exterior of your home. The symmetrical appearance of lap siding makes it one of the most popular types of siding used by contractors that work on residential projects.

Contrast of Colors

If you have heard the descriptive word “pop” when it comes to a rental property’s appearance, you know the word is used to describe a structure that stands out for the right reasons in the neighborhood. Although subtle siding colors allow other features of your rental property to stand out, using contrasting colored siding makes a bold design statement that your tenants will love. For example, using a bold blue against a more neutral gray makes siding one of the featured design elements of your rental property.

Consider Other Structures

Selecting colors for siding that match the design elements of other structures in the neighborhood can help your tenants feel like they belong to a community. You do not have to find an exact match for siding, just siding that complements the appearance of other structures in the neighborhood. This strategy also applies to the appearance of landscaping. For example, if a neighbor cultivates a colorful garden, you should consider installing brightly colored siding to match the ambiance generated by your neighbor’s plant and flowers.

When you choose siding for your rental property, remember to follow a few tips. First, look for low-maintenance siding, especially if you live in a climate that experiences harsh winter weather. Second, create a budget and stick with it. Third, take into account the region where your rental property is located. Exposure to cold, heat, sunlight, and moisture have different impacts on different parts of the nation.

Mares & Dow Specializes in Siding

Contact the siding contractors at Mares & Dow Construction and Skylights today to discuss whether siding is the best fit for your home. With over 40 years of experience, we offer the best in residential and commercial siding installation.

Spring showers are approaching the Bay Area, and with the downpour comes the potential for home structure damage. Siding contractors agree that your home may have weathered many storms, come rain, wind, and hail, but with enough time, even the strongest homes begin to take damage.

The importance of protecting your home from rain

Your home has multiple layers. From the inside out, there are four main layers: framing, sheathing, protective barrier, and siding. The framing and sheathing are typically made of wood, which are protected by the protective barrier and siding. Without protection, the inner layers of your home’s exterior walls would be exposed to the elements.

When wood is repeatedly exposed to water, it develops moisture issues that compromise its structure. Rot and mildew can eat away at your home’s structure until it needs a major repair. Once your home shows signs of interior rot, it’s too late to take preventative measures. You must secure your home’s safety early, before problems arise.

Protection starts with your home exterior

Before moisture can penetrate your home, confirm that your exterior layers are in good shape. You can’t see the protective barrier underneath your siding, but if your siding is intact, it’s a good be that your barrier is secure.

First, look for easy-to-spot damage from hail, sports balls, weed trimmers, and other blunt damage. Vinyl siding isn’t moisture tight, so once it’s compromised, moisture has an easy time seeping through. Wood siding is more susceptible to moisture, so be extra vigilant in your search. If there doesn’t appear to be any obvious damage, move on to the smaller areas. Check out areas with dried out caulking, where moisture can get through the gap.

Protect your home with fiber cement siding by Mares & Dow Construction & Skylights

One of the most protective siding materials is fiber cement. Its durability and water resistance makes it an all-time favorite of siding contractors and homeowners.

Contact your local siding contractor Mares & Dow Construction and Skylights today for help with repairing or replacing your siding. With over 40 years of experience, we install and replace fiber cement siding that’s as durable as it is beautiful.