As the name implies, insulated vinyl siding is backed by a layer of foam or a similarly insulating material. Insulated vinyl siding can increase a home's energy efficiency, help with noise reduction, and is reputed to be more resistant to dents. Insulated vinyl siding is a good choice for any homeowner who is interested in reducing their energy usage, especially if they live in an area of the country that has extreme weather.

Benefits

Insulated vinyl siding offers both building owners and installers several key advantages:

• Improved insulation - provides a thermal envelope around the home that supplements existing insulation; insulated vinyl siding can provide an insulation R-value of up to 4.0, depending on the siding profile, which can help the building owner save potentially as much as 20% on energy bills.
  
  
• Durability - since the expanded polystyrene (EPS) plastic insulation fills out the profile of the vinyl siding, the product can withstand four times the impact of conventional vinyl siding as well as other weather-related extremes.
  
  
• Easy to install - the expanded polystyrene plastic insulation creates a more rigid product that reduces bowing and sagging; the product is easy to fit, cut and nail.
  
  

•  Improved wind-resistance - since insulated vinyl siding virtually eliminates the void behind the siding; some products are wind-tested up to 200 mph.

   

•  Resistant to mold development - EPS insulation is highly permeable and does not trap water vapor and moisture in the walls.

   

•  Contributes to improved sound insulation.

   

•  Helps prevent combustion because the EPS plastic insulation is treated with a fire retardant.

   

•  Repels insects - some EPS products such as Fullback® Thermal Support Systems are treated with an environmentally-safe additive such as Perform Guard® which repels insects such as termites and carpenter ants.