Checking for functionality is one of the first steps to take when replacing windows. The budget for your replacements will ultimately be the deciding factor for your project, but there are many variations in price and quality to examine before making your final selection. A good quality window can eliminate the need for storm windows if you live in an area with a frequency of storms, and a good window will also have features like an interior tilt to make cleaning easier. There are other ways to identify a good quality window as well.

When replacing windows, it is wise to check the label that contains the window’s energy efficiency. The label should provide information about the U-Factor (U.S./I-P) and a Solar Heat Gain Coefficient. While shopping around, ask the sales associates to explain the differences to you if you do not understand them. A deciding factor for the quality of the window will by the number of panes. Triple-paned windows increase the energy savings that you will save on heating and cooling your home. A gap will be between each of the panels that is normally filled with a gas (argon or krypton) that helps with the insulation.

During replacing windows, make sure to consult professionals or have trained contractors installed them because even triple-paned windows cannot be energy efficient if they are not installed correctly. While installing there should be room for shimming and inserting insulation material. The existing trim work should be securely installed into the wall and be large enough to fit the replacement windows. The ideal kind of insulation to be used is a fiberglass or expanding foam insulation. After filling in the gaps between the trim and the window, check for any gaps or leaks.

Don’t feel intimidated when replacing windows in your home. Since the windows that you already have are likely older, they will not be as energy efficient. You could be wasting money on heating and cooling your home every year. Another benefit of replacing the windows in your home is that once you do, the value of your home will increase. This is a great step to take if you’re in the market to sell your house. It will also make your home appear more attractive to potential buys. Overall, replacing windows is a wise choice to make in the investement of your home.

Replacing a home’s siding usually goes hand in hand with replacing its windows. The most obvious reason for this pairing is that it is simply less work. Caulking and sealing projects of this size is no small task. If windows and siding are replaced simultaneously, this process need only happen once. In addition, trim and siding will often have to be adjusted to allow for new windows. As long as the existing siding and trim around the edge of the windows needs to be removed, you may as well take on a full siding replacement.

Upfront costs will also be lower if you replace your siding and windows at the same time. There are significant costs associated with hiring labor, renting tools and setting up scaffolding to replace your siding or your windows. There is no reason to incur these expenses twice. As long as everything is set up to replace your siding, you may as well replace your windows too.

Finally, if you are hiring a contractor to take on your outside projects, you could save money by rolling these two projects into one time frame. Because the upfront costs will be lower, and continuing work will be a sure thing, your contractor may be able to work with you to secure a lower overall price for the work performed. In addition, because your home improvements will increase the overall energy efficiency of your home, your state or city may provide rebates for something like a window replacement and other energy efficient improvements. You can take that rebate and use it toward your full siding replacement.

It may seem overwhelming to take on both a siding replacement and a window replacement at the same time. However, taking on both projects simultaneously truly is a smart move. A siding and window upgrade is sure to save on energy costs, and turning two projects into one will save you money in the long run.

To find out exactly how much siding and windows would cost on your home, simple go to our Free Siding & Window Estimate Request form.

There are many types of siding for houses. Each type has advantages and disadvantages. You may have decided that your home has a rather shabby appearance, or you may be deciding what type of siding to use on your new home. Today, there are many types of siding materials available. Cost, appearance, durability and ease of maintenance are essential determining factors.
Esthetic appeal would probably be of paramount importance to most people, with ease of maintenance a close second. Choose carefully, as this is a decision you will live with for many years. If you are planning on selling, attractive siding can significantly improve the sale value.

Types of Siding

T-111 Siding

T-111 siding is available in two types, plywood and OSB (oriented strand board.) Being more expensive, the plywood is more durable. The OSB type is composed of wood flakes, bonded together with a resin using heat and pressure. It is more subject to water damage. Both come in 4′ x 8′ foot sheets. The plywood type may be stained or painted and is grooved to resemble weatherboarding. It can be installed vertically or horizontally. The OSB type requires priming and painting.

Fiber-Cement Siding

Fiber-cement siding is available in various patterns, such as T-111, shingle, shake, octagon, stucco and smooth lap. It comes pre-finished or unfinished, which requires painting. This lets you select the exact color desired. Paint is required for moisture absorption prevention. The durability of fiber cement is a substantial advantage.

Steel and Aluminum Siding

Metal siding is losing popularity. Steel siding can rust and aluminum siding dents easily. Aluminum siding sheets are commonly used for barns and garages.

Vinyl Siding

Vinyl siding is the #1 most used siding product in the united states and is used quite often to renovate older houses. The color goes all the way through the vinyl, eliminating the need for painting. It is light-weight and easy to apply, but it can be damaged by a severe hail storm.

Stone Siding

Stone siding, either natural or manufactured, is extremely long-lasting and low maintenance. Natural stone is expensive, but costs can be trimmed by using manufactured stone. The untrained eye has difficulty telling the difference. A stone house is a leader in eye-appeal.

Cedar or Redwood Siding

Cedar and redwood both have natural resistance to decay and are sometimes left to weather naturally. This results in a gray color. A disadvantage is that the wood weathers at a different rate due to protection from the eaves. They can be stained or painted , but painting obscures the natural beauty of the wood, Natural wood siding is more expensive, but to some people it is well worth the extra cost.

Stucco

Stucco is a time-honored type of siding. Modern application techniques have markedly enhanced the durability of stucco walls. It is still recommended for dryer climates only, as it is susceptible to damage in wetter climates.

This is not a complete listing of siding materials, but it gives the reader a good ideal of the types of siding available.  Take plenty of time deciding, because this is one of the most consequential decisions made in remodeling or building a home.

Short Answer: 100 Square Feet.

1 Square = 100 Sq.Ft.

Long Answer,  from our Square of Siding definition page:

Square: (house siding)

Abbreviation: SQ

A Square is a term that is used by Siding Contractors, Installers, Suppliers and Manufacturers that is short for 100 square feet of siding.

Not sure what a “Square Foot” is?
See our: definition of Square Feet.

“Square” Bullet Points:

• The terms “Square” and “Squares” are very common with Vinyl Siding professionals.
• Vinyl Siding is typically sold in 2 Square (SQ) boxes.
  • 2 SQ = 2 Square = 200 square feet.
• Vinyl Shake Siding is often sold in 1/3 Square or 1/2 Square boxes.
  • 1/3 SQ = 1/3 Square = 33.3 Square Feet
  • 1/2 SQ = 1/2 Square = 50.0 Square Feet

“Square” Examples in Communication:

• Vinyl Siding Installer says, “I installed 5 squares of siding yesterday.”
  • That is the same as saying, “I installed 500 square feet of siding yesterday.”
• Siding Manufacturer says, “1 box of vinyl siding contains 2 squares”
  • That is the same as saying, “1 box of vinyl siding contains 200 square feet.”
• Siding Supplier says, “All vinyl siding is $25 Off per Square.”
  • That is the same as saying, “All vinyl siding is $25 Off per 100 square feet.”
• Vinyl Siding Contractor says, “We pay $100 per Square for Vinyl.”
  • In this context, he’s refering to what they pay thier installers to install vinyl siding.
  • This would be the same as saying, “We pay $100 per 100 square feet for Vinyl” and “We pay $1 per square foot for Vinyl.”

So What is the definition of a “Square” of House Siding?

A “square” is a unit of area measurement used in House Siding (specifically Vinyl Siding) that equals one hundred (100) square feet.

1 Square (of House Siding) = 10 feet X 10 feet = 100 Square Feet.

10′ x 10′ = 100 sq.ft. = 1 Square of Siding

Using the formula above, let’s bring this all together.

Example:  If you have a wall on your house that is 40 feet long by 8 feet high. ( 40′ x 8′ )

So How Many SQUARES is this example wall?

Answer: 40′ x 8′ = 320 sq.ft. = 3.2 Squares of Siding
a.k.a.: 320 ft2 = 320 SqFt = 320 sq.ft. = 320 Ext. SqFt

Now if a product costs $150 per square and you need 3.2 squares, your cost would be $480.00.

$150 per square  x  3.2 squares  =  $480.00

For more see our Square Calculator: Square of Siding Calculator

ref.: http://www.siding4u.com/Dictionary/square-of-siding.php

Siding Squares Calculator (screen shot)

We’ve created another useful siding calculator.  This one is for figuring out your Siding Squares.  See our Siding Squares Calculator at SquareFootage.org.

In the above example you can see that with our Squares Calculator you can use Feet, Inches, Decimals or any combination of the three for both Height and Length.  The calculator returns the: Squares of Siding, Square Footage, Height in Feet, Length in Feet, Square Inches, Height in Inches and Length in Inches.  How’s that for thorough?  No it doesn’t convert to meters or cups of water or translate into Spanish… maybe those will be in future updates. *wink*

Siding Professional Challenge: if you’ve got a keen eye and are familiar with siding, you may have noticed an oddity with the calculator example above.  What ever may it be – you ask?  No cheating.  If you haven’t spotted it, take another look above then see the answer below.
Answer: in house siding, a wall that is 40 feet tall and 8 feet wide is pretty uncommon.  You would only “typically” find a wall like that on commercial structures like condos, apartment buildings, warehouses, and the like.  It would be extremely rare to see a wall like that on a residential structure.  However, the calculations are correct BUT the example was supposed to be… a variation of 40 feet wide by 8 feet tall.  If I wouldn’t of said anything, would you have noticed?  Be honest.

What is a “Square” of (House) Siding?

A “square” is a unit of area measurement used in House Siding (specifically Vinyl Siding) that equals one hundred (100) square feet.
1 Square (of House Siding) = 10 feet X 10 feet = 100 Square Feet

If you’re interested… and I’m guessing you are if you’ve read this whole post to this point… you can go check out our Siding Squares Calculator and we’d love to hear your thoughts.

Top Vinyl Siding Cities

Some of The Top Cities for Vinyl Siding may surprise you.

We ran the numbers, and plotted a map to show the cities with the highest number of vinyl siding estimate requests.  Of course ALL areas across the USA have requests for vinyl siding but if we plotted all of them on a map… you’d just have one big solid red map.  So to illustrate the most popular areas we applied a quantity & time frame threshold prior to plotting the map.

Here’s a short list of the Top 10 Cities for Vinyl Siding that  “frankly” surprised us (with links to the pages that generated them):

• Rockville Maryland
  • population: 61,209
  • Rockville, MD 20850
• Dayton Ohio
  • population: 166,179
  • Dayton, OH 45419
• Falls Church Virginia
  • population: 11,169
  • Falls Church, VA 22042
• Richmond Kentucky
  • population: 27,152
  • Richmond, KY 40475
• Mason Ohio
  • population: 22,019
  • Mason, OH 45040
• East Longmeadow Massachusetts
  • population: 15,720
  • East Longmeadow, MA 01028
• Cincinnati Ohio
  • population: 331,285
  • Cincinnati, OH 45255
• Sterling Virginia
  • population: 169,599
  • Sterling, VA 20164
• Westerly Rhode Island
  • population: 22,787
  • Westerly, RI 02891
• Stow Massachusetts
  • population: 7,083
  • Stow, MA 01775

It just goes to show, unless you crunch the numbers, you really just never know.  Vinyl Siding has been the #1 most requested and searched for siding for many years now and as you can see it’s #1 all across the US.

the Save On Siding™ system

Helping homeowners save on Vinyl Siding has always been one of our primary purposes for being online. NOW we have honed all of our knowledge, tools & inside information into an easy to follow system of 7 specific steps.

“If YOU were an ex-siding contractor, these are the exact steps you would take to save the most on siding… plus we give you additional inside information to ensure your success… I wanted to design a step by step procedure that anyone to could follow but was advanced enough to ensure that each potential siding consumer could shop like a pro and get the best deal possible for exactly what they want.”
~ Siding4u.com Founder, Robert Bury

What’s In It For YOU?

The Save On Siding System is specifically designed to save you the most money on the best products and service, installed by the best contractors with the least amount of effort, on your part, as possible.

• FREE Service.
• Online access to the complete Save On Siding™ 7 Step system.
• Exclusive Tools & Information only available here.
• access to the Best Contractors available.
• Email Support.

To learn more about our Save On Siding™ system, SEE our Save On Siding™ program details page.

by Estimates Requested for August 2011

1. Virginia
2. Massachusetts
3. Connecticut
4. Ohio
5. Texas
6. New York
7. Florida
8. Pennsylvania
9. Washington
10. Michigan

Two things stand out when looking at this list of States:

• Where’s New Jersey?
  • In the past New Jersey has been a front runner for siding and it didn’t even make the Top 10 for August 2011.  That’s pretty shocking.
• WOW… Florida made the Top 10?
  • Florida has consistently been a pretty sparse state for siding for several years now.  HOWEVER Hurricane Irene and the previous storms have changed all that… for the time being anyhow.

by Estimates Requested for August 2011

1. Vinyl Siding – Materials Only
2. Vinyl Siding – Full Install
3. Fiber Cement Siding – Full Install
4. Vinyl Shake Siding – Materials Only
5. Fiber Cement Siding – Materials Only
6. Vinyl Shake Siding – Full Install
7. Soffits
8. Vinyl Siding – Small Job
9. Soffits – Materials Only
10. Cedar Siding – Materials Only

Why is this Top 10 list important?

If you are a Homeowner
… this Top 10 illustrates what is “most popular” and while WE are not typically an advocate of “going with the crowd” it illustrates an important point – if you had a staff of 46,000 people and they were all given the task of researching the Best Siding available today… what would stand out head and shoulders above the rest?

If you are a Siding Professional
… and interested in staying in touch with “What The People Want” then this Top 10 clearly shows what you can focus on to give your customers what they want.  I’m sure we can all agree… being out of touch with your consumer base is deadly to a company.

~ Key Points

There are several things to point out in this Top 10 list of Siding Estimates Requested:

• 65% of the Top 10 are for Vinyl Siding
  • again illustrating Vinyl Siding as the #1 most popular siding in the United States.
• 46% are for Materials Only
  • this one is something we’ve been watching for some time.  The increase in Materials Only estimate requests could be a result of the economic times and more people being subject to needing to renovate their homes exterior while needing to save as much money as possible.
• 19% is for Fiber Cement Siding
  • illustrating Fiber Cement’s continued slip on the siding market share.
• only 5% is for Cedar Siding
  • we suspect this is again due to Siding Cost being a major factor AND homeowners wanting a low maintenance siding solution.

In Conclusion

If you are a Siding Professional
… it really would behoove you to consider helping Homeowners get connected with the Siding Materials they want.
If you are a Homeowner looking for the right Siding for you
… you can take the wisdom of the masses and choose Vinyl Siding OR get educated about all of the siding options available to you and break away from the pack… either way, you can start with us on our Save On Siding system™ Step #1.

Unique Vinyl Siding Before and After

First of all, what is a Top Notch Vinyl Siding Installation?

• The vinyl siding LOOKS like wood.
  • That’s the whole point of vinyl siding… to look like wood BUT not require the constant upkeep that wood siding requires.
• The LINES are straight and clean looking.
  • Installing vinyl siding is like exterior finish carpentry.  It’s the installers job to make the home’s exterior look good and that includes making up for “rougher areas” in the home’s exterior.
• The installation lasts for at least the length of the product warranty and/or the installation’s warranty (which ever is longer).
  • Yes this is a bit of a no-brainer but it stands to mention that if an installation looks spectacular at first then after a few years it falls apart… well that definitely is not a “top notch” installation.
• The installation process was a painless and quick procedure.
  • A vinyl siding installation is a major renovation and as “major renovations” go – it can be a stressful event.  A “top notch” vinyl siding installation team will work hand-in-hand with the homeowners to: reduce any potentially stressful situations, keep the homeowners informed about the progress of the installation and make the siding install as quick of a process as possible while maintaining a superior degree of craftsmanship and professionalism.

To get a top rate vinyl siding installation it takes at least these three elements:

Vinyl Siding Soffits - notice the "lines" are matched up. (click to enlarge)

1. Skill & Knowledge in Installing Vinyl Siding
   1. Installing vinyl siding is not like installing cedar, wood or fiber cement siding.  Vinyl siding installations require a very unique skill set to produce a great looking finished product.  Mastering all of these needed skills takes a considerable amount of time as a full time vinyl siding installer and under the watchful eye of a Master Vinyl Siding Carpenter.
2. Professionalism
   1. An important part of the vinyl siding installation process is how the siding installation team conducts themselves while they are on-site.  These are peoples cherished homes that they are working on, typically a home is a family’s most significant investment.  How the job site is kept clean, how the neighbors are accommodated, how vehicles are parked, how shoes are removed if an installer needs to enter the home… these are all things that occur when the siding installation team exhibit proper levels of professionalism.
3. Attention to Detail
   1. It’s in the details where Top Notch Siding Installations stand out from the average siding install…  and this is especially true with Vinyl Siding.  So what does “Attention to Detail” mean when talking about vinyl siding?  With Vinyl Siding the things to look for are:
      1. The laps (lines) in the siding match up… especially on the corners.
      2. The panels are straight and flat when you look down the wall (devoid of “waves” as much as possible).
         1. Yes, some “waves” are unavoidable and do commonly occur with cedar and fiber cement siding… often more so with cedar and fiber cement in actuality.  Walls on a house aren’t any where as “flat” as most people think due to variations in the studs… it’s quite common.
            However it is the job of the siding installer to “cover up” as many of these wall imperfections as possible.
      3. The window trim looks clean and crisp… and most likely mitered.
      4. Very little “exposed” caulking and if it is visible, it’s clean, smooth and neat.
      5. The finished product is clean, dry and pencil mark free.
      6. Everything looks consistent and “like” wood as much as possible.

In conclusion, a “top notch vinyl siding installation” will vary depending on several factors but if the items mentioned her are present – the Vinyl Siding install will most likely be a Top Notch one!