5. Siding can actually LOWER the value of your home. Financially, it seems to make sense to cover your old, peeling wood siding with fresh vinyl siding. However, if your home is historically significant, this addition can lower its value. Vinyl siding tends to "flatten" the exterior of a home; special molding and trim are obscured, resulting in a one-dimensional look. Many people regard vinyl as "cheap," and it may prove a turn-off to future home buyers.
6. It's a "green" exterior cladding...if by green, you mean moldy. The main purpose of cladding, like roofing, is to keep water out of your house. Vinyl siding, unfortunately, is not so good at this. Real wood siding and other traditional cladding materials allow the wall to breathe; water vapor may move through the wall construction, but it can escape during colder weather. However, vinyl siding is typically installed over a layer of styrene insulation board, which traps the water vapor within the cavity of the wall.
Water also enters the wall cavity through gaps at the edge of siding if it is not caulked-which isn't a good idea in the first place, since vinyl must be able to move independent of the wall surface. While a water-resistant house wrap is typically installed under the siding, it's punctured by nails during the installation process, contributing to leaks. The moisture can rot the wood structure of your home, not to mention that decaying wood invites termites and the dreaded M-word: mold.
7. Your contractor may have no clue what he's doing. Vinyl siding manufacturers have one goal: to sell. Once you've purchased siding, they don't often monitor the installation of the product. You can install siding yourself, but most people rely on a contractor. Since vinyl siding's effectiveness depends on proper installation, a shoddy job is the kiss of death. If your siding is nailed too tightly, it will expand and crack, bulge or warp. Construction warranties often last only a year, and the product warranty may be voided by faulty installation. Not every contractor has invested in proper training and certification, which is loosely regulated and expensive.
Suggested Reading:
Vinyl Siding and Your House
Facts About Vinyl Siding
Elsewhere on the Web:
USGBC Green Home Guide
Greenpeace International
American Chemistry Council