More than half of American homeowners — 53 percent — have had new siding installed, according to a nationwide survey that also asked respondents why the update was made. The top reason listed was damage, followed by aesthetics.
The survey was commissioned by Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio-based exterior building products manufacturer Alside and conducted online March 3-7 by The Harris Poll.
Alside officials aren't surprised that siding damage puts many homeowners into replacement mode. They suspect wild weather is a factor.
"While the survey didn't specify what the damage was from, it is possible much of this is due to storm damage," Susan DiMauro, marketing director for Alside owner Associated Materials LLC, said in an email. "For example, we have regions of the country where our customers are still completing residing projects years after major hail or windstorms."
DiMauro is also the new marketing committee chair for the Vinyl Siding Institute, the Alexandria, Va.-based trade association for manufacturers of vinyl and other polymer siding and suppliers to the industry.
While most of the 1,389 people surveyed have replaced their siding, 41 percent of the responding homeowners say their existing siding is in good condition.
"Selecting a siding material with strength and durability is key to ensuring homeowners won't need an expensive update down the road from damage," Alside Vice President Shawn Hardy said in a news release about the survey.
Of those who had replaced siding, 39 percent did so because it was damaged. Another 36 percent replaced their siding to increase their home's curb appeal. And 23 percent had new siding installed because "they didn't like the way their old siding looked."
When it came to picking a replacement product, 32 percent of respondents hoped to boost their home's energy efficiency with the new siding and 32 percent hoped to reduce exterior maintenance.
The survey data taken from U.S. homeowners ages 18 and older is accurate within plus-or-minus 2.8 percentage points using a 95 percent confidence level, according to the release.
Hardy said composite cladding, such as Alside's Ascend product line, is in demand and on trend, offering the qualities homeowners want along with a lifetime limited warranty compared with competitors' 15-year warranties.
Ascend combines a glass-reinforced polymer with graphite-infused polystyrene to produce a Class A fire-rated cladding that also resists strong winds and impact.
Other manufacturers are meeting market needs with products like Western Extreme vinyl siding by Cornerstone Brands. This siding was designed to withstand infrared light, which causes damage, as well as low humidity and rapid temperature changes found in western climates.
Westlake Royal Building Products also sells cellular PVC siding under the Celect brand with wind resistance up to 210 miles per hour and a Kynar coating for UV protection.
Ascend was named "most innovative building material" during the virtual 2021 International Builders' Show organized by the National Association of Home Builders.
Alside operates about 125 company-owned supply centers across the United States and is owned by Associated Materials LLC.
Founded in 1947, Associated Materials started selling aluminum siding, then expanded into windows, vinyl siding and composite cladding under brands like Alside, Gentek, Alpine and Preservation.
With an estimated $335 million in plastic profile sales, Associated Materials ranks 15th among North American pipe, profile and tubing extruders, according to Plastics News' latest ranking, and was No. 6 among profiles processors.
Overall, Associated Materials generated $1.6 billion in sales with 4,400 employees at 11 production sites. The company is owned by SVP Global.