Siding FAQs

Age of your current siding

There are several factors to consider when deciding whether to replace your home’s current siding. How old is the existing siding? Very old siding – 25 to 30 years old, often needs to be replaced or may need repairs.

Inspection

Look for signs of damage, like hairline cracks, warping and separation, dents and pits, peeling, and decay. Southern and western-facing walls are more prone to sun exposure and you may see fading or peeling on these walls. Here are common indicators that your siding may need replacing:

• Faded colors
• Siding pulling away
• General wear and tear
• Punctures and cracks
• Mold, mildew, fungus, and algae growth
• Drafts and higher energy bills
• Damage caused by insects

Properly installed home siding creates a water-tight barrier that blocks moisture, mold, and mildew. It eliminates damage from insects and protects against our New England weather. Siding reduces heat loss and visually unifies the exterior façade of your home. It requires less maintenance and increases “curb appeal” and your home’s value.

Maximum curb appeal

You want the style that meets your vision. If you have a beach house, Golden Group Roofing has siding that looks nearly identical to natural cedar shake. Are you looking for a special color, look, and feel? Our siding options are available in dozens of fade-resistant colors, textures, and styles. If you want to highlight trim or other architectural features, our designers will create a plan that brings out your home’s unique features.

Long-term durability

Golden Group Roofing uses superior products that stand up to greater Boston’s storms, freezing and thawing, ice and sleet, and UV rays—for all-season protection. Golden Group offers choices that are virtually maintenance-free, fade-resistant, and resistant to the effects of water and insects. Our installation expertise and in-depth product knowledge ensures no cracking, splitting, masonry issues, or other problems caused by improper siding installation.

Value and cost-savings

Golden Group Roofing offers solutions that meet every price point. When you invest in new siding, your financial benefits will include greater energy efficiency, lower maintenance costs, increased resale value, high return on investment, and a broader range of lending and refinancing options.

Energy efficiency

New insulated siding can raise the R-value of your home. An insulating material’s resistance to conductive heat flow is measured or rated in terms of its thermal resistance or R-Value.  The higher the R-value, the greater the insulating effectiveness.

Insulated siding can add another R2 to R4 to your home. New siding is like “wrapping a warm blanket around the house.”  With new siding you will no longer worry about drafts coming through the walls.

Today’s vinyl siding products insulate your home and can even stand up to tornado-force winds, making them a highly desirable exterior option. They come in many designs and colors that will increase “curb appeal” and your home’s value.

Golden Group Roofing’s choice is Certainteed Vinyl Siding, which is available in 41 colors and 3 styles. It is easily installed and has few craftsmanship issues. Certainteed Vinyl requires little maintenance; is fade- and moisture-resistant; flame retardant and has a lifespan of 50+ years.

James Hardie Fiber Cement Siding

James Hardie® fiber cement siding is an ideal choice as it won’t rot, crack, or split, plus it holds paint up to three times longer than wood. Baked-on ColorPlus® technology has exceptional resistance to fading, chipping, and cracking. Although moderately priced, cement siding is more difficult and time-consuming to install. It requires special tools and advanced skills. On the plus side, it is durable and has a lifespan of 50+ years.<

Everlast Composite Siding

This innovative triple-composite material combines inorganic minerals, polymer resins, and acrylic colorants for a thick, solid, and strong siding with extreme durability and protection from pests. While Everlast Composite Siding has a higher price tag, it needs zero-maintenance. It boasts the highest level of weather protection and fire resistance and is impervious to water.

Tando Shake Siding

Enjoy the look of natural cedar shake siding and the low maintenance of this quickly installed and moderately priced siding option. A wide range of colors is available in five styles: Cape Cod Perfection, two types of Roughsawn Cedar Shingle, Rustic Cedar, and Hand-Split Shakes. Tando Shake Siding is weather resistant and may need repainting years. It is easy to install over a weather-resistant house barrier. It has a lifespan of up to 30 years. 

There are ten key steps:

1. We visit you to explore your priorities, design elements, and technical requirements.
2. Our designers match the siding to your home’s architectural style, property setting, neighborhood, personal taste, and budget.
3. Once we determine the right siding product, we create and share a 3-dimensional model to visualize it and get your feedback.
4. With the basics in place, we discuss treatment options for the trim, aluminum, windows, door, decks, patios, porches, and other transitions.
5. At your home, we do sample tests on the design choices to ensure you get the look you want.
6. With materials and design decisions in place, we begin preparation, getting building permits, ordering materials, arranging for dumpsters, scheduling insulation, and planning for demolition of your current siding.
7. With all siding removed and the home exterior exposed, we can address problems such as rotting wood, carpenter ants, and foundation problems.
8. We determine a final strategy for merging transitional areas, such as corners and trim.
9. Once the home is prepared, we moisture wrap the property.
10. Your crew starts installing your home siding, keeping you informed of the project’s status throughout the two to three-week process.

Properly installed, siding is less likely than wood to trap moisture. The product has been designed to allow moisture to be drawn from the home and expelled through the bottoms of the siding panels.

There are various types of protection for your siding, depending on the type of siding you choose. Unfinished siding will need to be painted or stained after installation to protect it from the elements. A protective coating is built-in to finished composite sidings. Your siding installer will advise you on the proper maintenance for the siding you have chosen.

Siding can reduce noise by up to 45 %.

Repairing a damaged panel is quite simple. A professional uses a zip tool to unhook the panel from the ones above and below. Nails can be removed allowing a new panel to be snapped in place, nailed, and rehooked.