The first thing someone sees when they come to your house is its exterior. What kind of first impression is your house making? If your siding has seen better days, upgrading it with a high-quality material like James Hardie siding is the best way to give your home an instant boost in curb appeal.
Beyond that, new fiber cement siding can also protect your home from the elements, helping to keep your home structurally sound. Throughout this in-depth guide, we’ll discuss everything you need to know about James Hardie siding so you can decide if it’s the right option for your home.
What Is James Hardie Siding?
Simply put, James Hardie is the top manufacturer of fiber cement siding, with their products on more than 8 million homes across North America. James Hardie stands out among the competition because of the company’s streamlined manufacturing process, which yields high-quality fiber cement siding in a variety of different styles and colors, for a price that fits your renovation budget.
What Is Fiber Cement Siding?
So, James Hardie is the leading fiber cement siding company, but what exactly is fiber cement? This unique siding material is made from the following ingredients:
- Portland cement
- Water
- Sand
- Cellulose fibers
Together, these ingredients form a material with unmatched durability, designed to withstand our often unpredictable North Carolina weather.
How Does James Hardie Compare to Other Siding Materials?
Here in the Charlotte area, most homeowners choose from one of three siding materials: fiber cement, vinyl, and wood. If you’re trying to decide for yourself, it helps to see how fiber cement compares to these other popular siding materials.
Vinyl Siding
Here at Southern Home Services, we also love and install vinyl siding for some of our customers. The truth is that it’s a great siding option in its own right. Compared to fiber cement siding, it’s a more wallet-friendly option, which is great if you’re trying to renovate on a budget.
However, it’s more prone to damage from weather than James Hardie fiber cement siding and it requires much more maintenance.
Wood Siding
While wood siding is beautiful, it’s one of the most high-maintenance materials on the market. Wood is susceptible to damage from weather, moisture, insects, and fire. On top of that, it can also warp or rot very easily. This makes it a less than desirable choice for homeowners looking for low-maintenance options.
What Are the Benefits of James Hardie Siding?
As we’ve mentioned above, many of the homeowners we work with choose James Hardie siding because it’s built to last. But, that’s just one of the many reasons there is to love this fiber cement material.
It’s Durable
So far, we’ve hinted that James Hardie siding is designed to withstand weather extremes, offering protection from UV damage, wind, rain, snow, ice, and hail. Beyond that, the material is also resistant to damage from moisture and insects, and, unlike other materials, it won’t split, crack, or warp over time. Perhaps best of all, James Hardie siding is also non-combustible, so it won’t contribute fuel to a fire.
It Requires Very Little Maintenance
Unlike other materials, which require regular painting or staining, James Hardie siding is virtually maintenance-free. To keep it looking great, all you have to do is gently wash it with soap and water once or twice per year to remove dirt.
It Can Increase Your Home Value
Here in Charlotte, fiber cement siding projects offer an average return on investment of more than 71%. If you plan to put your house on the market in the next several years, upgrading your exterior with James Hardie siding can help you fetch more interest from buyers and may even allow you to get more money from the sale.
It’s an Environmentally Friendly Material
Are you interested in making sustainable choices for your home? James Hardie siding is an environmentally friendly siding material since it’s made from sustainable raw materials. In fact, the company was even named the “Most Sustainable Product” of 2019 in the Green Builder Magazine Readers’ Choice awards.
It’s Available in a Variety of Colors and Styles
Your house is a reflection of your own style, which is something that James Hardie recognizes. The company offers a wide variety of aesthetically pleasing colors and styles, so you can choose an option that perfectly matches your vision. There are even plank options that mimic the look of wood siding or shingles, so there’s truly no limit to what you can design.
It Comes With an Unmatched Warranty
Here at Southern Home Services, we know that updating your home is an investment and we want to help you protect that investment. One of the many reasons we love James Hardie siding products is because the products come with an incredible warranty. James Hardie offers a 30-year non-prorated warranty on their siding products, in addition to a 15-year non-prorated warranty on trim products.
Choosing a James Hardie Elite Preferred Contractor
Finally, when you decide to install James Hardie siding on your home, it’s important to choose the right contractor for the job. The Southern Home Services team is proud to be a James Hardie Elite Preferred Contractor. This designation means that we complete the annual training program offered by James Hardie to ensure that we know the ins and outs of the products and how to properly install them.
We’re proud to boast a 96% recommendation rate from our customers when installing James Hardie products and are considered one of the Charlotte area’s top James Hardie siding contractors.
Transform Your Home With James Hardie Siding
Now that you’ve learned all about James Hardie siding and what makes it a great choice for your home, why wait any longer to get started on your siding replacement project? Contact the area’s leading James Hardie installer, Southern Home Services, today to get started on your exterior transformation.
