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James Hardie Siding: Popular For Important Reasons

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Maryland’s demanding weather is no match for fiber cement siding. Its unsurpassed durability, colorfastness, and low maintenance requirements all contribute to its growing popularity. James Hardie siding is the most successful fiber cement siding of all. It now protects over five million homes in the United States. In 2013, the Good Housekeeping Research Institute awarded HardiePlank lap siding its prestigious Good Housekeeping Seal..

The exteriors of Montgomery County residences must withstand the vagaries of a climate that serves up everything from blustery blizzards to sweltering heat waves. During the course of a typical year, residential siding must resist temperatures across a 100-degree-plus range. It is important that your home’s siding also protect your investment against driving rains, heavy snow and high winds.

Aesthetics

James Hardie siding comes in a number of textures from smooth to rough-hewn. It is also offered in different widths and styles. From curbside, wood-grained fiber cement siding is virtually indistinguishable from cedar siding. Officials sometimes approve fiber cement siding to replace wood siding in Historic Districts found in various communities across the countries. Whenever you want to duplicate the look of painted or stained wood siding, James Hardie siding is an option.

Durability

Cedar is often the choice in wood siding because it is rot-resistant and insect-resistant. However, parts of a home with cedar siding that are frequently moist may be subject to deterioration over time. Woodpeckers may drill holes in cedar siding that require repair to avoid insect and/or moisture penetration. By contrast, James Hardie siding normally requires only periodic pressure washing and little more. Cedar is very durable, but it may split, crack or warp, especially as it ages.

Fire-resistance

Three inert substances go into fiber cement siding: sand, cement and cellulose fibers. These materials are mixed together and pressed into planks. In the unlikely event of a fire, cedar adds combustible material to the fire (unless treated with a fire-retardant), while James Hardie siding will not ignite, even when subjected to direct flames. In fact, it meets standard ASTME119 for fire-resistant construction.

Minimal Maintenance

Cedar siding is usually repainted or re-stained every 3-5 years, while the color of James Hardie siding is baked right into the material when you select siding with ColorPlus technology. During the manufacturing process, workers apply multiple coats of the special finish to all surfaces of every piece of siding and trim. Between coats, curing of the finish occurs in a precisely controlled environment. The resulting finish is highly chip, peel and crack-resistant. The finish is also highly resistant to the deleterious effects of ultraviolet light. You’ll enjoy the color you originally selected for years and years to come, because James Hardie siding is fade-resistant.

Environmental Impact

Fiber cement products are approved for use in LEED-rated structures. The fact that fiber cement siding includes sand, water and cellulose fibers makes it a sustainable product. Carbon dioxide emissions occur when fiber cement siding is made, but there’s an overall conservation of resources due to the siding’s longevity and its minimal maintenance requirements.

James Hardie siding does costs more than vinyl siding, but, it costs significantly less than cedar siding. When you consider how long it lasts and how little maintenance it requires, James Hardie siding is an excellent value. It is also a selling point when a homeowner puts a home on the market.

Whatever your residential siding preferences, the friendly professionals at BRAX Roofing stand ready to discuss all the options with you. We’ll gladly walk you through a detailed comparison of James Hardie and cedar siding so you can make an informed decision. Please contact us for further assistance.

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