Siding · Kitchener

Does New Siding Save Energy?

Does new siding cut heating bills in Kitchener? On its own, barely — but the re-side is the one chance to insulate and air-seal a wall from the outside, and on older homes that's real money.

Siding is a rain screen, not insulation. Vinyl, aluminum and fibre-cement have almost no R-value. What saves energy is what you do to the wall while the siding is off.

Where the savings come from

• A continuous, taped weather barrier. Many 1950s–70s Kitchener homes have building paper or nothing under the aluminum. A proper barrier stops the air leakage that makes the north-side rooms cold.
• Sealing the openings. Old brickmould and unflashed windows leak air around the frame. New trim, flashed and sealed, closes them.
• Rigid foam under the siding. An inch of foam on a wall that has two inches of batt — normal for a Forest Hill or Rockway bungalow — roughly doubles the wall's insulation.
• Fixing what's found. Wet sheathing and slumped insulation get dealt with instead of covered.

Which Kitchener homes benefit most

Pre-1980 homes with original siding and thin walls: the re-side is the only practical way to add wall insulation without gutting the interior. Homes built after the mid-1990s in Doon, Huron Park and Williamsburg already have house wrap and R-20 walls; new siding there is about looks and weather protection, not bills.

Realistic expectations

Ignore anyone quoting a percentage. On an older leaky house the difference is mostly comfort — fewer drafts, warmer bedrooms on the weather side — and a modest drop in the gas bill. Pair it with attic insulation and air sealing, which cost less, and the bill moves more. Enbridge and federal programs have offered rebates for wall insulation added during a re-side; check what's current before you book.

Frequently asked questions

Serving Kitchener and surrounding areas. Contact us for a free, no-obligation quote specific to your project.