Major home renovations can have significant environmental repercussions, in addition to the dent that they’ll make on your wallet. Broadly speaking, the main environmental issues at stake when renovating your home include the need for synthetic product production or consumption of wood that may be linked to clear-cutting, as well as the waste removed from your home structure in the process, such as old vinyl siding.
If these environmental concerns worry you, fiber-cement siding might be right for your home. This type of siding has many advantages from an eco-conscious perspective. Though somewhat more expensive than other home siding options, fiber-cement siding has a longer lifespan and lower maintenance requirements compared to wood, vinyl, or aluminum.
When you invest in HardiePlank fiber-cement siding for your home, you’re also investing in the well-being of our environment. That’s responsible and smart stewardship on a global scale.
Long Live Your Siding
Taking into account wear and tear from weather and exposure to the elements, attacks by bugs, fire, and any of the many other things that can happen to your home siding, the lifespan of most home siding products come in around 15 to 20 years. That may seem like a long time, but when you take into account both the costs of new siding and the waste resulting from your discarded siding, the costs begin to seem direr. Figuring out how to replace your siding less often in the best interest of everyone.
HardiePlank siding comes with a 30-year warranty, a promise to outlast your average siding by 10 to 15 years. That’s a pretty significant improvement. Research further, however, and you’ll find that fiber-cement siding can last you as many as 50 years or more. Based on when most adults can afford a home of their own, you likely will never need to re-side your home during your lifetime if you choose fiber-cement siding.
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
One of the greatest environmental advantages of fiber-cement siding is the underlying production process. Fiber-cement siding is made out of recycled material and other sustainable products. The general make-up of the material is cement, sand, and cellulose – strong, yet essentially natural. And while wood siding has the natural part down, the environmental damage caused by cutting down old-growth forests has been tremendous. With fiber-cement siding, you get natural materials without the unfriendly ecology impact.
Similarly, while aluminum siding is made out of recyclable material, it degrades relatively quickly and often doesn’t reach a recycling program during renovations. And as for vinyl siding, vinyl is neither recyclable nor biodegradable. This means that it simply piles up in landfills when removed from a home.
Highlighting Human Health
Vinyl siding can also result in toxic off-gassing, a process that is a potential contributor to a range of environmental illnesses. Off-gassing occurs when volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are released by synthetic materials. Fiber-cement siding, however, is biologically inert. This means that there is no off-gassing with the product.
Many common household materials contain VOCs, including synthetic carpets and adhesives, air fresheners, and many cosmetics. Studies suggest that exposure can cause headaches, ear, nose, and throat symptoms, nausea, and increased asthma irritation. In the long term, they may also be linked to liver and kidney damage and cancer.
End Of The Life Cycle
There are still some questions about how to properly dispose of fiber-cement siding, but its relatively recent introduction into the home siding market coupled with its long lifespan means that very little of the material has actually been disposed of up to this point. Furthermore, its durability means less frequent re-siding of the home, introducing less siding into the construction waste system. Even with this uncertainty in mind, fiber-cement siding remains a more environmentally sound siding material compared to the alternatives currently on the market.
Beauty And Braun
Fiber-cement siding’s reputation for strength, including its fireproof and anti-rot properties, is complemented by its aesthetically pleasing features. Did you dream of a home with wood siding, but felt bad about the environmental impact? Or maybe you want to avoid the high degree of maintenance wood requires. Now you can have the look of wood without any negative attributes. Fiber-cement siding can be manufactured to mimic the appearance of wood, with realistic coloring and wood grain.
Similarly, fiber-cement siding comes in an array of colors, just like aluminum and vinyl siding. It also responds well to painting, so if you wish to change the color of your home, primer and acrylic topcoat will easily do the job.
Fiber-cement siding rarely reacts with standard house paints, meaning you shouldn’t experience bubbling or chipping when you paint it – an outcome that is much more common with aluminum, especially if the aluminum begins to rust. HardiePlank’s receptiveness to painting corresponds well with the overall longevity of the material.
Your HardiePlank Professionals
Does HardiePlank siding sound like the right choice for your next home renovation? If so, American Home Contractors are the home construction and renovation specialists for you. A full-service exteriors renovation company, American Home Contractors does it all, from new siding, roofing, and windows. We rise to meet your needs and expectations.
While you may be able to get HardiePlank siding from other companies, only a few are designated James Hardie Elite Preferred Remodelers. American Home Contractors is proud to be among this small group of preferred remodelers. This designation supports our claim to quality service and is only issued to fully licensed and bonded companies with over four years of experience, and who stand in compliance with the James Hardie rules for best installation practices.
Are you ready to begin a home renovation project? Contact American Home Contractors today to discuss your home siding project. Our team looks forward to speaking with you!