Five Environmentally Friendly Siding Options 
Coloring your home, fixing new windows, or upgrading its landscape isn’t the only approach you can use to refresh the exterior of your home. One of the neglected home improvement ways is putting in new sliding which drastically modifies your home’s look.
More and more houses are going green with the adoption of home automation, recycling, and energy-efficient machines. But all of this mainly caters the home’s interior – what about the outdoors? As the interest of homeowners is increasing to go green, so are their options expanding, and one of them is environmentally friendly siding materials.
Previously, there didn’t happen to be much siding alternatives to select from, restricting homeowners with only a couple of options other than the usual unappealing vinyl siding. Fortunately, like everything else, siding has also advanced giving a wide range of choices in metal, wood, and stucco. Below we are discussing five different types of home sidings that will ensure the protection of your home and the environment.
- Present wood siding offers a diverse range of options: redwood, cypress, Douglas-fir, pine, and cedar. All these wood types are recyclable, sustainable, and renewable energy resource. The wood type, cedar is preferred more by homeowners due to its moisture- and insect-repellant characteristic.
Before buying a siding, ensure that it is certified by Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) and Forest Stewardship Council (FSC).
Pros: Easy installation, recyclable, natural, locally available, energy-efficient.
Cons: Requires extreme manufacturing.
- This siding (particularly steel) originates from reused sources like trashed autos and discarded building materials. Steel is effectively recyclable, making it a suitable alternative for environmentally friendly siding.
Reusing repurposed steel involves higher manufacturing input than wood or other materials, which might be a worry for some homeowners.
Pros: Locally available, simple installation, extremely recyclable
Cons: Less energy-efficient, needs more manufacturing
- It is a mix of Portland cement, water, lime, and sand. Most of the elements used in stucco are chemical-free, reducing leakage and more chemical-related issues.
Stucco calls for large-scale installation which implies a bigger price label. Vinyl and brick might not be as environmentally friendly but they are cost-friendly options.
Pros: Energy-efficient, minimum assembling, natural elements, simple to install, recyclable.
Cons: Requires more labor to install.
- Several homeowners go for the brick as a green siding alternative due to its easy composition of elements – clay, water, and shale. It additionally offers an extended lifetime: 100 – 200 years. The drawback of this material is that its production process requires intense energy, particularly the baking procedure: bricks are baked in a 2000-degree Fahrenheit oven for a number of days.
CalStar and Green Leaf Bricks are energy-efficient options as compared to traditional bricks.
Pros: Greatly energy-efficient, locally sourced, natural elements, recyclable.
Cons: Requires intensive labor for installation, thoroughly fabricated.
- Although it is a nonrenewable material that involves immense work for installation, however, in most cases, rock frontages do not need synthetic- or chemical-based finishes or treatments. Before deciding on this alternative for your home, talk with your contractor about getting the locally available stone.
Pros: Extremely energy-efficient, minimum fabrication, natural, locally available.
Cons: Requires immense labor for installation
There are several siding contractors, Downriver Michigan offering their professional services for not only installing a siding but also advising you on what will the best option for your home. Make sure you consult them before making a final decision.
Related:
Four Home Improvement Projects You Shouldn’t Do Yourself
What To Do When Roof Needs Replacing
Easy Ways to Make your Home More Eco-Friendly