Choosing the right house siding option in Alaska
Siding does a lot to protect our homes. With every siding material type, you'll find a different set of benefits. Benefits range from aesthetics to low maintenance to energy efficiency. When choosing a siding material option in AK it helps to know what the benefits are.
Wood
Wood siding has been around for many years as an exterior layer option for Alaska homes. Some wood types like cedar, are naturally going to last longer because of their ability to resist rotting. However, cedar, or redwood siding costs more than other typical wood siding made from pine or spruce. The coating of your siding will help prevent damage from weather and bugs in AK, and regular maintenances will allow you to receive a normal lifespan out of your siding without a replacement.
Stone
Stone siding has incredible long term benefits if you can overlook the cost it takes to buy it and have it properly installed. Stone is remarkably durable and is resistant to almost any kind of Alaska weather element. You can find options for stone siding in slate, and granite giving your AK home a handsome, and solid look. Naturally, stone has an ability to last a lifetime. However, the cost of stone siding is a lot higher than other siding material, and a proper installation must be made by a profession to make sure your structure can hold the extra weight. Many times extra support mechanisms must be installed to support stone siding which can add on to your total cost, but your longterm benefits will out weigh the costs with the longevity you can expect from stone siding.
Vinyl
Vinyl siding is the most popular siding options for Alaska homes today, because its easy to maintain, low costing, and comes in a large assortment of colors and styles. Color options available for vinyl siding exceed 200, with looks of wood shakes in vertical, or horizontal panels. A regular maintenance would be to simply hose siding when it gets dirty. Vinyl siding can sustain major damage from most Alaska storms, especially storms that bring hail. Its a good idea to remember your AK siding manufacturer and color type, because trying to replace damaged panels after a storm can be almost impossible without it. Warranties for vinyl siding can be up to lifetimes.
Fiber Cement
Fiber cement siding is starting to be more and more popular in Alaska due to its durability, and design. This new siding option can not only be made to resemble wood siding remarkably, but is designed to be resistant to bugs, weather, and water; all of the AK elements that are known to be detrimental to wood siding. fiber cement siding is easy to maintain, with a cost below wood siding. Average warranties for fiber cement siding are up to 25 years for most Alaska homes.