Energy Efficient Fiber Cement Siding

The truth is no standard siding material offers very good efficiency.

Energy efficient fiber cement siding.

Giving the appearance of painted wood fiber cement is a great option for craftsman colonial and cape cod style houses among others. Most energy experts suggest that your home s walls should have at least an r 13 energy efficiency. This is a classic form of house siding which is still in use today. In fact that is code in many areas.

Fiber cement is a composite material made of cement reinforced with cellulose fibers. The energy efficiency for building materials is known as r value. Hardieplank siding is fire resistant which is a comforting thought in areas that are fire vulnerable. Fiber cement is not energy efficient fiber cement is a cementitious product therefore it serves as a bridge for energy loss compared to other more energy efficient siding products.

Vinyl is by far the most popular material choice for insulated siding. Brick stucco and fiber cement siding have r values between 37 and 44. Energy efficiency on their own both vinyl and fiber cement siding are relatively thin products that aren t particularly good insulators although they are both effective at keeping the elements. The higher the r value the more efficient the building material is.

One of the more durable siding products fiber cement is a low maintenance affordable and attractive option offering protection against damage from rot warping termites fire or weather. In the context of building and construction the r value is a measure of how well a 2 dimensional barrier such as a layer of insulation a window or a complete wall or ceiling resists the conductive flow of heat. This is a long lasting product and if you live in a region where termites can be a problem fiber cement is not susceptible to termite damage. Aside from being low maintenance fiber cement board is also energy efficient and to a small degree contributes to insulating your home.

What is the most energy efficient siding. James hardie building products ltd. Fiber cement james hardie elite preferred. This is a building material made from sand cement and cellulose fibers.

Fiber cement siding has several benefits since it is resistant to termites does not rot is impact resistant and has fireproof properties. According to table 5 1 of the ashrae fundamentals handbook fiber cement has an r value of 15 better than brick and stone but lower than vinyl at r 60 wood at r 81 and insulated vinyl siding at r 2 0 3 5. Fiber cement siding sizes and types fiber cement board is available in plank format that is similar in dimension to vinyl siding ranging in profiles from 4 to 11 inches.