No matter what your home is made of and no matter where your home is located, it needs proper insulation to ensure that it is a safe, comfortable environment. It’s also important from an affordability standpoint - helping you keep that energy bill low.
For decades, there has been an endless debate as to what makes a good insulator for a home. After all, there are a lot of different forms of insulation out there. But did you know that the insulation itself is only part of the equation?
One aspect of your home’s insulation that has spent more time under the radar than it should have is the siding. And today, we’re going to talk about what we believe to be the best type of siding from an insulation standpoint: cedar.
Not only is cedar siding useful for providing the exterior of your home with a unique touch, it can also provide the interior of your home with insulation. But what makes it the best insulator for your home? We’ll cover this throughout the article. First, though, some basic information on house siding in general.
Quality Cedar Products can meet all your cedar board needs. This blog is informational only and not a replacement for expert advice. Please consult a professional before starting any building project as your needs and specifications may vary and it may not reflect the most current building codes, regulations, or industry standards.
What Is The Purpose Of House Siding?
In order to properly answer the question “is cedar siding a good insulator,” it helps to familiarize yourself with what house siding does.
You can think of house siding as a foundation of sorts for the exterior of your home. While the exterior of your home already has its share of foundation, house siding is placed around this foundation to make things even more solid.
This is especially true if you use cedar as house siding. Cedar siding lasts very long and works in conjunction with the exterior foundation to improve the overall quality of your home.
Why Does It Matter If Cedar Siding Is A Good Insulator?
There are a lot of factors that go into the overall insulation of your home and how it affects everything inside your home.
The first of these factors is temperature regulation. The longer your home can stay at one temperature without getting too hot or cold, the more consistent the temperature will be and the better quality your air will be. If the temperature of your room is inconsistent, the more humid your own home can get. All of this is prevented by keeping temperatures consistent.
Good insulation is necessary when it comes to consistent temperatures. Cedar siding works in conjunction with the overall foundation of your home’s interior to make sure this happens.
Air conditioning and heating bills can and will get out of control if your home is not consistent with its insulation. When you install cedar siding, you will get the consistency you need.
Elements such as pollen, dust, and smog from outside can pollute your home if it is not perfectly insulated or if certain areas of your home are warmer or cooler than others. Cedar siding also helps prevent that.
So, Is Cedar Siding A Good Insulator?
Now that you have a better understanding of the importance of finding the right siding for your home, let’s make the case for Western Red Cedar. Cedar siding is not just a good insulator, it is the perfect insulator and there are a number of reasons why this is.
Among the other forms of insulation you can install in your home, cedar siding is by far the easiest to install and maintain. In fact, if you have the resources, you can easily maintain and install cedar siding completely by yourself.
As mentioned earlier, you can think of cedar siding as something that adds to the exterior foundation of your home. This is how it insulates homes that have already been built completely.
Because cedar siding is installed on the exterior of your home, it helps keep the temperature of your home’s interior more consistent. This is just one more reason why cedar siding is the best kind of insulator.
Another reason why cedar siding is the best insulator for your home is because of how durable it is. As long as you maintain it properly, it will stand up against any kind of weather.
How Cedar Siding Helps You Keep Heating/Cooling Bills Low
The reason heating and cooling bills rise is because of how inconsistent the temperature of your home is.
If one room of your home is warmer or cooler than another, your air conditioning and heating systems will kick on and try and adjust the rest of the house too. This is what causes heating and cooling bills to go up.
Cedar siding prevents this by ensuring every room in your home is exactly the same temperature. This in turn prevents your heating and cooling systems from turning on and off constantly, thus keeping your cooling and heating bills low.
Is Cedar Siding A Better Choice Than The Alternatives?
Those who ask if cedar siding is a good insulator tend to compare it to the alternatives, concluding that because they don’t see cedar siding among all of these alternatives, it must not be the better choice.
The alternatives to cedar siding are only popular because they are seen everywhere around you. However, just because they are more common does not make them better.
Take stucco, for instance. Stucco is nothing more than paper that is combined with stone. Not only will you need to hire somebody to install it, but the only thing it truly resists is moisture.
The stronger version of stucco siding, stone siding is easily the most expensive kind of siding you’ll ever come across. However, cedar siding offers the same kind of protection, the same kind of options, and can be installed yourself.
What about classic brick siding? Brick siding is only truly effective if your home needs to be at a consistently cool temperature. When it actually gets cold outside, you’ll be running the heat a lot more than you want. Also, the mortar that brick takes a lot away from its longevity.
Vinyl siding is extremely popular, but it is also very prone to water damage and mildew. You won’t need to worry about any of this when you use cedar siding.
No, cedar siding is not as popular as these alternatives. But it is every bit as good as these alternatives. In many cases, they are better.
Other Reasons Cedar Is a Great Choice For Your Siding
Other forms of siding stick out in a bad way. Cedar is the complete opposite. Cedar sticks out in a good way and will not only improve the appearance of your home but also protect it from termites and other pests that can affect other sidings, water damage from rain, and nearly any other kind of deterioration.
Of all the other forms of both siding and insulation, cedar is the only one that you can install yourself if you are willing to put forth the time and effort to do so.
Is Cedar Siding A Good Insulator? Closing Thoughts
Cedar siding is one of the best-kept secrets when it comes to siding. As far as insulation goes, cedar siding plays a key role in keeping temperatures consistent, thereby reducing heating and cooling costs.
Plus, cedar siding looks just as magnificent as other styles and protects your home from termites and other pests, doesn’t rot or crack, and is completely water-resistant. The only difference? It costs much less.
Quality Cedar Products offers nothing but the best selection of western red cedar lumber you will find throughout Canada. Whether you are a homeowner who wants to revamp your house, a builder who needs supplies, or even a lumber store who needs to refill inventory, we have everything you need.
Our diverse catalog contains cedar siding, T&G cedar, cedar deck boards, and everything in between that you need to build things right the first time. We’re also known for our cedar wholesale program which allows you to not only get the best cedar grades but also the best prices and service as well.
What more do you need? Shop now and experience the convenience of getting the most durable cedar siding available throughout Canada.
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