The United States is a country of vast climates. One side of the country might have snow for half the year, while the other rarely dips below 50 degrees. Some states may be remarkably dry while others are quite humid and wet. Your climate might vary greatly from that of your aunt in another state.
Your home siding, like every other element of your home’s exteriors (and some of the interiors) is affected by your climate. Because of this, there’s really no one-siding-fits-all. The perfect siding for a home in Chicago, Illinois might be a terrible choice for a home in Boston, Massachusetts. But there might be a one-siding-company-fits-all when that company takes care to accommodate for the different climates, which is exactly what James Hardie Siding does.
But before we get into that, let’s discuss the ways that siding is impacted by your climate:
How Siding Is Affected By the Climate
Your siding wraps around the walls of your home, protecting it from the elements day after day, year after year. That means they are constantly exposed to your climate…and that can wear on any siding after a time. But the extent to which that wears on your siding depends on your climate. A warm, tropical climate will have a much different effect on your siding than a dry, cool climate.
One of the first considerations is temperature. Siding materials can expand and contract based on how hot or cold it is. In seasons like spring or fall when the temperature can fluctuate widely, you may end up with cracked or warped siding. In particularly hot climates, such as parts of Texas, materials like vinyl siding can also potentially melt, fade, or peel somewhat under the extreme heat of the sun.
It’s also important to keep in mind the moisture of a particular climate. This is especially true of wood siding, which can be quite permeable to water. A moist climate can put your siding at risk for mold, mildew, algae, or rot. It can also cause wood siding to swell and warp. This is true of particularly humid climates, but it can also be true of cold, snowy climates. The moisture created from melted snow can get into your siding and potentially into your walls if the siding is too affected by it.
Because of this, wood siding requires frequent care and staining in order to protect it from too much water permeation. Vinyl siding is lauded for its affordability, and high quality vinyl siding might hold up well in more temperate or cool climates, but will likely fade, bubble, or peel in hot climates. James Hardie fiber cement siding is known to be thicker than vinyl and less permeable than wood siding, making it a smart choice for many climates, but even with James Hardie siding, there is no one siding that will suit every need.
The Climate of Central Massachusetts
Central Massachusetts, the home of Boston, is known for its humid, continental climate. That means we get a little bit of everything. Summers are warm and humid. Spring and fall are full of rain showers. Winters are frigid and snowy. Because of this, moisture is one of the main things to worry about in the central Massachusetts climate. You need siding that holds up well against moisture without warping, swelling, or rotting. Fading color can be an issue in the summer, though it is less so an issue in Boston than it might be in a more tropical or subtropical climate.
Heavy storms might also be a concern, especially heavy hail storms. Thus impact resistant siding is important. James Hardie siding is five times thicker than vinyl and strong enough to stand up to the most intense storms. Engineered fiber cement, it’s less permeable than wood so it’s not likely to swell, rot, or warp. But there’s one other way that James Hardie siding stands out from the pack, especially when it comes to the effects of climate.
James Hardie Siding HardieZones®
James Hardie is a huge name in siding throughout the country. Because of this, they have to be able to accommodate a number of different climates. To meet this need, James Hardie Siding has come up with HardieZones®, engineering their siding based on the climate in which they work. Hardie siding made for Houston will be engineered differently than siding made for Boston. Even with James Hardie siding, there is no one-siding-fits-all, so James Hardie makes their siding to fit you and your climate.
Central Massachusetts fits within the HZ5® product line. This is a HardieZone built to withstand snow and ice, perfect for the frigid winters that Boston can experience. It’s given a strong moisture resistance as well as stronger paint adhesion so that the paint doesn’t peel, fade, or bubble under the pressure. There’s also a drip edge to keep water away from the siding to further protect your walls.
The result is James Hardie siding that feels custom-made for you. This siding will last for decades and stay in great shape. It comes with vibrant color and can even be made to have the look and feel of wood, while holding up against ice and rain far better than real wood. This isn’t just siding that holds up well throughout most of the country. This siding holds up in your region, on your street, and on your house.
James Hardie Siding puts in the work to make sure their siding stands out in any climate. That’s why we choose to offer James Hardie siding products to our customers in central Massachusetts. Interested in a siding replacement or upgrade of your own? Contact Solid State Construction today for more information or to get started with a free estimate.