Installing Insulation Behind Vinyl Siding

Also caulk the joint at corner trims.

Installing insulation behind vinyl siding.

How to install rigid foam under siding. An honest professional vinyl siding contractor will tell you exactly what you re getting. Installing insulated vinyl is similar to a standard vinyl installation so there s no reason why labor costs should be significantly higher with insulated vinyl. Apply sealant around windows doors and trim.

Fit the rigid foam insulation snugly and seal all seams with the specialized tape. The exterior insulation also helps keep the siding all vinyl siding leaks further away from the exterior sheathing. This type of insulation may change and flatten the specialty built in contour of the panel causing the siding to bulge or ripple. Also during this siding process you may also consider asking your contractor to add foam insulation between the vinyl and the house wrap for increased r value.

The foam board is nailed in place with washer head nails should be taped at the seams to prevent air movement. However it s important to use an installer who is experienced with insulated siding. Some manufacturers strongly recommend against the use of drop in type foam or fiberboard behind its vinyl siding. This is typically used to go over the existing siding in order to create an even surface to keep the siding plum during installation.

Many houses built today have a double wall type of insulation with fiberglass batts fastened between the studs on the inside and rigid foam board over. Some people use roofing nails but if a strong gust of wind gets under the siding it may not hold. This reduces the likelihood of condensation within the wall cavity. It s important to understand how various insulation products work so you can determine which solution or solutions are right for your particular project.

This is most common with vinyl siding. Adding insulation to the back of vinyl siding can raise the cost by 20 to 50. By installing insulation on the outside of the framing it causes the location of the dew point to move to the outside of the wall assembly. So if you re comparing proposals to install new vinyl siding on your home please be aware of this important fact.

There are insulated rigid foam products that will increase the insulation factor but you ll pay much more for r 5 to r 7.