Installing Insulation Behind Vinyl Siding

How to install rigid foam under siding.

Installing insulation behind vinyl siding.

An honest professional vinyl siding contractor will tell you exactly what you re getting. 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. There are insulated rigid foam products that will increase the insulation factor but you ll pay much more for r 5 to r 7. Considering how effective house wrap is and how simple it is to install behind vinyl it is a good idea to ensure your contractor includes it when siding your home.

So if you re comparing proposals to install new vinyl siding on your home please be aware of this important fact. This type of insulation may change and flatten the specialty built in contour of the panel causing the siding to bulge or ripple. This reduces the likelihood of condensation within the wall cavity. Some manufacturers strongly recommend against the use of drop in type foam or fiberboard behind its vinyl siding.

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. Fit the rigid foam insulation snugly and seal all seams with the specialized tape. 1 2 polystyrine foam board insulation. 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.

The foam board is nailed in place with washer head nails should be taped at the seams to prevent air movement. Also caulk the joint at corner trims. Install insulated vinyl siding luckily if high levels of energy savings is your goal any combination of these solutions can be used to increase energy efficiency. It s important to understand how various insulation products work so you can determine which solution or solutions are right for your particular project.

Adding insulation to the back of vinyl siding can raise the cost by 20 to 50. Some people use roofing nails but if a strong gust of wind gets under the siding it may not hold. This is most common with vinyl siding. The exterior insulation also helps keep the siding all vinyl siding leaks further away from the exterior sheathing.

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.