L lime Improvement How Brick Stacks Up When it comes to your home's exterior, brick is a good choice. he latest comparisons on brick home exteriors debunk common myths for home buyers and remodelers shop- ping the latest options: genuine clay brick, vinyl siding, concrete masonry, manufac- tured stone, fiber cement siding (faux wood alternative) and Exterior Insulation and Finish System (EIFS), commonly known as synthetic stucco. While other exterior options may cost less initially, genuine clay brick pays back through its superior durability with low to no maintenance, higher resale value, greater comfort and savings on home energy costs through its natural thermal properties, en- during curb appeal with color and design flex- ibility, and superior per- formance in extreme weather conditions. "As a versatile build- ing material made from abundant natural resources, there is no substitute for fired clay brick," said Gregg Borchelt, president and CEO of the Brick Industry Association (BIA). Several common comparisons include: T Initial Cost: If cost is the sole criterion for material selection, vinyl siding and fiber ce- ment siding generally cost less at first; fiber cement has lifetime costs for painting and joint replacement for about the same cost as manufactured stone; low mortgage rates and a variety of financing terms and options make genuine clay brick competitive with vinyl siding. Longevity/Durability: Brick has a 100-year life span, with no annual cleaning required; vinyl siding offers a 25- to 50-year life span with recommended annual cleaning; repainting is recommended every 5-7 years for fiber cement siding, and its life span is unproven; EIFS and vinyl siding can be damaged with common items such as hail, golf balls and baseballs; EIFS can crack from expanding and contracting; PVC vinyl siding can burn or melt when exposed to a signifi- cant heat source. Severe Weather Resistance: Brick resists penetration of a wind-blown wooden 2 by 4 up to 80 mph; a wind-blown wooden 2 by 4 penetrates siding when traveling at 34 mph and at 25 mph for fiber cement siding. Safety/Fire Resistance: Brick provides a minimum one-hour fire resistance rating by itself and is noncombustible; neither vinyl siding nor fiber cement siding can provide a one-hour fire resistance by themselves; manufactured stone generally does not provide a one-hour fire rating; and EIFS is considered to be a "combustible material." Energy Efficiency: Homes clad with brick use 1 to 2 percent less energy than vinyl siding and 2 to 7 percent less energy than homes clad with fiber cement siding. Thermal Mass: Brick walls benefit from the energy efficiency of thermal mass — something lacking in thinner, lighter simulated masonry units. 5 Moisture: Brick offers supe- ;ci, nor • water penetration re- ) a'sistance; moisture intrusion causes EIFS to rot from in- evitable water penetration, 0 and is subject to termite infestation; water absorbed by manufactured stone in a rainstorm is held against a framed wall — a construction method without a means to remove water that may result in moisture damage. Green Benefits/Sustainability: Raw material is on average 15 miles away from the brick plant and many materials can be incorpo- rated as recycled content with minimum packaging; brick manufacturing facilities are located in 38 states and within 500 miles of 49 of the top 50 U.S. metro areas; polyvinyl chloride (PVC), the chief raw material in vinyl siding, is primarily made at facilities near coastal refineries; brick buildings can be refurbished, and reuse is allowed by the International Building Code; vinyl siding can- not be reused and is difficult to recycle due to contaminants. For more information, home buyers may contact their local brick distributor or visit BIA's website at www.gobrick.com for a list of distributors and manufacturers in their state, photo galleries and continually updated homeowner information. ■ Courtesy of Home Improvement News and Infor- mation Center Slam The Door On High E rmergv Rill perts at Therma-Tru remind homeown- rs to check their doors at least once a ear to ensure units are not leaking air, which can increase heating and cooling bills. "Start by inspecting the weather strip around all sides of every door in your home to make sure it has not worn out," says Derek Fielding, director of product management for Therma-Tru Corp. "Stand inside near your doors on a bright day and look for daylight coming in through the door's perimeter. If you see light, that means external air and possibly moisture is coming into your home, reducing the energy efficiency of the door. "This can be a simple fix if your foam- filled weatherstrip has lost some of its com- pression, flattened out or cracked. If you're seeing large gaps, or if the door itself feels hot or cold on the inside, then it may be time to upgrade to a more energy-efficient entry door." Fielding recommends seeking out fiberglass entry doors that are thermally broken, meaning they insulate against both cold and heat. Steel doors can be thermally conductive and result in the transfer of temperatures quickly from the interior to the exterior and vice versa. "Ideally, you're looking for a fiberglass door system with components that are en- gineered to work together to help maximize the seal between the door and the frame," says Fielding. "We follow this principle when creating our Therma-Tru fiberglass doors so that the systems help keep heating and air conditioning inside the house to help boost the energy efficiency of the home." For more information on energy efficiency and doors, visit www.thermatru.com , www. energystar.gov and www.nfrc.org . ■ Courtesy of Home Improvement News and Infor- mation Center November 2013 • Floor Space Magazine 15