The summer sun in South Texas can take a toll on the outside of your home. Caring for the exterior of your home includes caring for the roof, landscaping, lighting, exterior walls (also called “siding”) and accessories, like outdoor furniture, front porch plants and more. Of these, the areas that tend to get the least attention are the home’s exterior surfaces. Why? Cost is a factor, but also, unlike problems with the roof, problems with siding tend to be hidden. Since changes to the outside of your house can be both costly and dramatic, a good first step might be to consult a professional renovator. For careful attention to the exterior walls of the house can completely change the way your home looks, and the choices you make can affect you for years to come in high or low maintenance and energy bills.

Here are a few basics to get you started, along with some “green” considerations.

Natural wood siding
If it’s maintained regularly, natural wood siding can last for generations. It looks great, but it’s prone to splitting and cracking, mildew and termite attacks. Wood siding must be stained or painted every few years, but exterior paint keeps improving. Benjamin Moore has a new exterior paint, called Aura Paint, that covers well, provides a thicker coating that can fill in minor cracks and crevices, to create a smooth finish, and is more durable than most paints.

Fiber cement siding
If you want the look and feel of natural wood without as much maintenance, you might consider one of the fiber cement products, like HardiPlank™. Made of cement, sand and wood fibers, these products are durable, resist termites and rotting and come in a variety of styles and colors. They have to be repainted from time to time, but they don’t expand and contract or hold moisture like wood does, so a coat of paint can last a long time. HardiPlank is warranted for 50 years.

The Green Factor: A radiant barrier underlying HardiPlank can help block radiant heat from entering your home in the summer and exiting in the winter, lowering energy consumption.

Vinyl siding
Vinyl can be designed to look like everything from cedar boards to fish scales and historic wood clapboard. It won’t rot, flake, scratch or blister, but it can be chipped, especially as it becomes brittle in cold weather, and it can be chipped by flying debris in windstorms. While it comes in many colors, it may fade, and since it can’t be painted, it may be difficult to match if repairs and replacements must be made. Warranties on vinyl siding are typically around 50 years, or the lifetime of the original owner.

The Green Factor: Not recommended for “green” households.

Engineered wood siding
This product is made of bits of wood bonded or pressed together with resins and treated with fungus repellents and insecticides. It holds up well against moisture, mildew and termites, weather and sun and resists splitting, cracking, hail and wind damage. Engineered wood siding is usually warranted for 15-25 years.

The Green Factor: Look for FSC-certified and urea/formaldehydefree engineered wood to avoid harmful off-gassing.

Stucco
Today’s stucco is formulated with epoxy, which allows surface movement and so virtually eliminates cracking. Stucco is usually applied in three coats, and the final coat can be tinted or painted. It will eventually need repainting, but if it’s installed properly, it’s almost maintenance-free. One advantage of stucco for existing homes is that it can often be installed directly over existing siding, reducing your costs.

The Green Factor: While the classic stucco is cementbased, the earth-and-lime-plaster variety is one of the more environmentally friendly varieties and is making a comeback.

Metal siding
Steel and aluminum sidings come in pre-finished colors — they can even look like wood — and can be installed in either vertical or overlapping horizontal styles. Today’s metal siding is more dentand wind-resistant than was once the case, and it doesn’t require much maintenance. Like vinyl, though, once you’ve chosen your color, that’s it. Some warranties on metal siding can be for 25 years or more.

The Green Factor: Metal siding made of aluminum or steel is usually made of recyclable materials, but it has high-energy expenditures in manufacturing.

Brick and stone look-alikes
If you’re not lucky enough to live in a home with a brick or stone exterior, you may want to consider one of the latest veneers. Real masonry is extremely durable but requires repairs of loose mortar joints and must rest on a real foundation. The manufactured brick and stone products adhere to walls and can be placed directly over existing siding. Many of these products are guaranteed for up to 50 years.

If you replace your existing siding rather than installing something over it, you have an opportunity to upgrade your insulation from the outside. Be sure to ask an experienced renovator to look at your home before you do this to ensure you don’t trap moisture between two vapor barriers.

Replacing your siding is also a good opportunity to move exterior water faucets, replace taps with frost-free hose bits, and install or relocate outside plugs. But most of all, attention to the exterior of your home ensures that your house will look its best for years to come.