When thinking of the aesthetic and economic value that installing a quality vinyl siding system will add to your home, it’s easy to forget about the significant energy efficiency boost that comes with it. An important part of any vinyl siding remodel is the use of a foam base or backer. The use of foam as part of your siding installation provides the following benefits:
It Has a “Blanket effect”.
The installation of foam stops much of the air movement through the joints and seams of your existing siding, boosting the effectiveness of the insulation in your exterior walls.
It Adds “R” Value.
Depending on which foam you purchase, this can add as much as an R7 to the exterior walls of your home.
It Stops Thermal Bridging.
This is a term many of you may not be familiar with. Thermal bridging is when heat is transferred (lost in the winter, gained in the summer) through the framing lumber in the exterior walls of your home. Framing lumber comprises about 27% of the exterior walls of a typical house, which means roughly 1/4 of the outside of your home has NO INSULATION. The foam layer added with your vinyl siding covers the entire exterior wall surface, effectively short-circuiting the thermal bridging.
It’s great to enjoy the beauty and freedom from constant upkeep that a quality vinyl siding provides, but the thing you come to appreciate the most may be the thing you never see, the foam.
