I get what you mean about the brick. The upfront cost is tough to swallow, but from an energy efficiency angle, brick really does help with temperature swings. I went with fiber cement mainly for the lower price, but I notice the house heats up faster in summer compared to my old brick place. Anyone else notice a difference in utility bills after switching siding materials? Wondering if the long-term savings ever make up for that initial price gap.
- Swapped out old brick for fiber cement on my own place a few years back. Noticed the same thing—summer heat sneaks in faster now.
- Utility bills bumped up a bit, but nothing wild. Still, brick did seem to buffer those temp swings better.
- Honestly, I’m skeptical about ever recouping the extra upfront cost of brick just from energy savings. Maybe if you’re in a super extreme climate... but in most places, it’s a long shot.
- One thing though—windows make a bigger difference than siding in my experience. Bad seals or cheap glass? Doesn’t matter what’s on your walls, you’ll feel it.
One thing though—windows make a bigger difference than siding in my experience. Bad seals or cheap glass? Doesn’t matter what’s on your walls, you’ll feel it.
I get where you’re coming from, but I’ve actually noticed siding still plays a bigger role than most folks think. When I swapped to insulated fiber cement, I added a rain screen layer and it really helped with the temp swings, even with average windows. Wonder if it’s the combo that matters more than just one piece. Anyone ever try adding exterior insulation behind their siding? That’s on my maybe list...
I actually did the exterior insulation thing a couple years back—used 1.5" rigid foam under new siding. Not gonna lie, it was a pain dealing with window trim and making sure everything lined up, but the difference in drafts and cold spots was super noticeable that first winter. It’s not cheap, though, especially if you’re hiring it out. If your siding’s due for replacement anyway, I’d say it’s worth considering, but maybe not just for the insulation alone unless your walls are really lacking.
- Agree, retrofitting foam under siding is a solid upgrade, but it’s not a quick job.
- Window/door trim always needs extra attention—flashing details matter or you’ll get leaks down the road.
- If you’re already replacing siding, it’s a no-brainer for energy savings.
- Just adding foam for insulation alone? Only if your walls are really under-insulated. Otherwise, cost vs. benefit gets tough to justify.
- Seen a few folks skip the window extension jambs and regret it later... worth taking the time to do right.
If you’re already replacing siding, it’s a no-brainer for energy savings.
I get the logic, but is it really that big of a difference? We re-sided our place (built in the 80s) and added 1" foam, but honestly, I didn’t notice a huge drop in my heating bill. Maybe our old windows are the weak point. Also, those window extension jambs—yeah, skipping them was tempting until I saw how weird the trim looked without them... Not sure I'd bother with foam unless the siding was coming off anyway.
Maybe our old windows are the weak point.
That’s a pretty common scenario, especially in homes from the 80s. The 1" foam definitely helps with thermal bridging, but if your windows are single-pane or not well-sealed, a lot of heat still escapes there. I ran into the same thing—added rigid foam when re-siding, but didn’t see dramatic savings until we finally replaced the drafty windows. The extension jambs are a pain, but skipping them just looked unfinished to me too. If you’re not already pulling off siding, I’d agree—foam isn’t worth the hassle on its own.
Yeah, I hear you on the windows. I used to think adding foam would be the magic fix, but honestly, those old single-pane windows are like having holes in the wall. We swapped ours out a couple years back—wasn’t cheap, but it made a noticeable difference. Extension jambs are a pain, but I agree, leaving them out just looks off. If you’re not tearing into the siding anyway, I’d probably just focus on air sealing and maybe some storm windows for now. Sometimes the “quick fix” isn’t worth the headache.
- Did the foam thing too, barely noticed a change.
- Our windows are original from the 60s—total energy drain.
- Got quotes for new ones and yeah, not cheap. Decided to just caulk and add those clear plastic films for now.
- Not pretty, but it’s cut down some drafts.
- Extension jambs look intimidating... I’d probably mess them up anyway.
- Quick fixes are tempting but sometimes just end up being a waste of time and money.
Extension jambs look intimidating... I’d probably mess them up anyway.
Totally get this. I tried tackling extension jambs once and honestly, it was a lot more fiddly than the YouTube videos made it look. Ended up with gaps I had to fill with more caulk, which kind of defeated the purpose. The plastic films are ugly but they do help—especially if you double up on the tape and get a tight seal. Still, I keep thinking about how much heat is just pouring out of these old single panes. Sometimes I wonder if biting the bullet and replacing one or two windows a year would be smarter in the long run, even if it stings up front.