The Weather Barrier Is a Crucial Aspect of Your Siding System

Having the right siding matters

Having the right exterior siding solution for your home is important for many reasons. Siding serves many essential functions when it comes to protecting your home from weather, pests, and other threats. Exterior siding can add some important insulation value as well. And, of course, a quality siding installation or siding replacement can add essential curb appeal value, as well.

Having the right siding underlayment matters, too

No matter what material or product you choose for your exterior siding, what lies underneath can be just as important. Siding underlayment is the material that’s installed between your primary siding and the wall material underneath to create an added layer of protection from the elements. This house wrap is fabricated with a water-resistant material that creates an important moisture barrier. And a better underlayment solution can add some measurable insulation value to your home, as well.

How weather barriers work

House wrap is a water-resistive barrier (or WRB) that keeps moisture from penetrating the house while also allowing water vapors to escape. The result is that your walls are kept drier, thus lowering the risk of any potential water damage. House wraps and moisture barriers come in many forms, including felt paper, polyolefin fabric wrap, asphalt felt, kraft paper reinforced with asphalt, rigid form, and WRB sheathing. Most modern house wrap is fabricated with a type of plastic or vinyl fabric, which can be branded under many different names.

But any effective house wrap contains tiny holes that are impervious to water infiltration. Heavy rains may seep through your siding, but they won’t penetrate the walls when your building is covered with a good house wrap or moisture barrier.

Is house wrap legally required?

In a word, no. To date, there aren’t any specific laws or building codes which require homeowners to install house wrap behind their siding. But failure to do so would absolutely be to your detriment. The cost of applying a protective barrier is negligible as far as your siding replacement project is concerned, and the effort is absolutely worth it. So, while house wrap may not be legally mandatory, it’s good to have a siding expert weigh in on the issue. The Skywalker Windows & Siding team believes that house wrap is absolutely necessary for maintaining the structural integrity of your home, and we recommend it for all of our siding repair and siding replacement customers.

Why does your exterior siding need an underlayment?

That’s a good question, and there is some general confusion around this issue. Many might assume that because siding products like vinyl or fiber cement are designed to be so sturdy and resilient, a moisture barrier wouldn’t really be necessary. But the right underlayment or wrap will add important benefits to any siding system, no matter what exterior materials you choose. Moisture vapor has the potential to penetrate and collect underneath most any type of siding surface. And any entrapped moisture can accelerate the deterioration of your home’s subsurface infrastructure, no matter what it’s covered with. That being the case, the short answer is yes, your home exterior will absolutely benefit from having underlayment applied, and it should be rated to meet the needs of your particular siding material and local climate conditions.

Some specific benefits of including house wrap installation

As we stated above, any siding system will work best whenever a proper underlayment is applied first, before the siding ever goes on. And since siding replacement can be a significant investment, it’s important to create the best, longest-lasting system of protection as possible.

Here are a few specific benefits of including house wrap with your siding replacement project:

→ Prevent moisture from infiltrating

The primary benefit of installing an effective house wrap is that it serves to help prevent any unwanted infiltration of moisture. Seeping moisture can result in expensive water damage to both your exterior walls and interior living space. Putting in a good weather barrier is one of the best proactive measures you can take in this regard.

→ Reduce the risk of mold and mildew

Where there’s residual moisture, conditions are also ripe for the development of unhealthy mold and mildew. Installing a moisture barrier underneath your siding can help prevent any undue mold or mildew growth.

→ Enhance the energy efficiency of your home

House wrap doesn’t just help seal potentially leaky spots. It also delivers some natural insulating properties which can benefit the overall energy efficiency of your home.

Trust Skywalker Windows & Siding for your best siding and house wrap solution in NC & VA

Looking for the local siding contractors who are best equipped for serving your home improvement needs? Look no further than Skywalker Windows & Siding! We’re trained, equipped, and experienced in installing the best siding products, and we can install a good moisture barrier and any additional insulating panels that may be needed, as well. We’re happy to serve both residential and commercial customers, and we do the job right for you the first time, and every time!

Got some other exterior home improvement needs? We also provide windows and exterior door replacements, roof replacements, gutters and gutter guard installations, new porch & deck additions, and more!

Skywalker is the preferred home & business exterior solutions provider for the NC Piedmont Triad, Piedmont Triangle, Mooresville area, and southern Virginia area all the way up to Roanoke. And nobody else beats our high standards of professionalism, workmanship, and personalized customer service!

You can connect with us online, but for an even faster response, simply give us a call today at (336) 627-5596. Come experience the Skywalker difference for yourself!