Why shouldn’t people use modern siding on an old home? First of all, there is no doubt that a “siding job” can, and often does, totally wipe out the original character of a historic building, not to mention the damaging effect it has on the appearance of the whole neighborhood. A neighborhood with vinyl sided homes is no more than a GLORIOUS TRAILER PARK. When vinyl is installed, in the worst cases, all the decorative wood trim is removed from the building, reducing the building into a featureless box of shiny plastic or aluminum. In the best cases, siding is applied over existing boards, but its application still decreases the projection of door and window frames, reducing shadow lines and giving the building a curiously “flat” appearance. An appearance most people have become accustomed to.
Many people say: "Once the owners pass on, the new owners can remove the siding and expose the beauty and craftsmanship that lie underneath." True, however 95% of the time the top part of the window frame (the lintel) is removed, as is other craftsmanship, in order to install the artificial siding. This cannot be replaced. Contractors will tell you they carry a vinyl replacement for the top trim of the window but it is a totally different interpretation of the style that your house was designed to have.
Since the artificial siding is put on top of the wood, notice that the window frame appears set back instead of slightly projecting. Also notice that the decorative lintel on the top part of the window frame has been removed.
But, there are other, more BASIC reasons. First, siding may create a fire hazard according to the National Fire Prevention Agency. Aluminum siding keeps fire inside your house, intensifying the heat and literally turning your house into a furnace! Aluminum siding also creates serious problems for firefighters because it makes it difficult to locate the source of a wall fire.
Vinyl siding isn’t much better. When vinyl siding burns, it melts and releases toxic gases. Even more, vinyl spreads flames quickly, according to fire professionals.
Ninety percent of homeowners who buy siding do so because their houses peel and blister, and may have to be repainted in less than ten years. They don’t realize that peeling paint may be symptomatic of a house with too much moisture inside.
As warm, moist indoor air passes through the interior walls and hits cold exterior walls, it condenses into water, causing the exterior paint to bubble and peel. Slapping siding on a weeping house will trap moisture like a plastic bag, damaging the old house by creating an ideal habitat for wood destroying insects, and causing the material underneath to decay. Over time, this problem can become very serious. It’s like putting a hat on a headache – it just doesn’t fix the problem. This problem becomes an epidemic due to constant advertising which convinces many people that artificial siding is "the way to go". Eliminating the major sources of moisture may be all that’s needed to fix the problem: ventilate kitchens and bathrooms with exhaust fans, vent crawl spaces, etc.
Another reason cited for applying siding is energy conservation, but building owners can’t count on synthetic siding to reduce heating bills. Aluminum and vinyl sidings are not good insulators – they are too thin. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) once filed suit against a manufacturer to stop the company from making insupportable energy conservation claims. The FTC report claimed that aluminum and vinyl sidings have “little or no insulation value.” Some energy saving may result from the prevention of air infiltration, but artificial siding will provide little insulation. Better effective ways to insulate include installing storm windows and weather stripping, insulating the basement and attic, and caulking.
Siding is not maintenance free. If you know someone who has had siding for several years, they may confirm that this substitute siding is not what the advertisers claim. Aluminum siding dents, scratches and tears. It may even peel, according to some reports. And vinyl is not much better. Like any plastic, it shatters when struck by something such as a baseball. Like all plastic, it expands and contracts. If it is nailed tightly enough to hold through the winter, it may expand in distorted, wavy shapes when heated in the summer sun. Once vinyl takes on new, unexpected shapes, it tends to stay that way. Imagine a vinyl record that warps when left out in the hot sun.
No one likes to paint his or her house. It’s expensive and bothersome, and artificial siding seems like a great alternative. Even though vinyl can indeed be colored throughout, it can still fade. Once it fades – despite the claims of paint manufactures who are marketing specially formulated paints for vinyl siding – it is very difficult to paint. And once the homeowner begins painting the vinyl, what has he really achieved besides destruction of the buildings character? These concerns make it clear that a regular painting schedule and maintenance of wood siding is far preferable to the synthetic stuff. The cold, hard truth is that no material is maintenance free.
Be careful when buying a house that has siding. What’s the siding concealing? Is there costly decay underneath? How much will it cost to remove that substitute stuff?
Happily, there is a way to remove old siding and restore your home to its original grandeur. The October 1993 Issue of the Old-House Journal has a very useful article on doing just that. It’s not easy, but then most of us knew that owning an old house would never be easy. If we wanted to put our feet up every weekend, we’d be living in new condos! I doubt if many of us would really trade the ongoing, never-ending projects associated with owning an old house. It comes with the territory.
That is the price we pay to achieve the extra beauty. There’s nothing like the look of real wood. A house with peeling paint still looks better than a house just covered with vinyl. If you have a formica or plastic dining room table, then you would probably prefer the appearance of artificial siding, just remember the problems it causes and how your house can harm the appearance of your neighborhood.
(The above excerpts are taken from "The Alliance Review" by William Crosby, a Preservation Architect and the Morristown Historical Commission Newsletter)