Prevent damage with siding that doesn’t appeal to pests

KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK. Do you hear that? That’s the sound of a woodpecker pecking through your home’s exterior and burrowing into the siding substrate.

Mother Nature’s creatures can wreak havoc on certain exterior siding materials, particularly wood-based siding like cedar and engineered wood. Luckily for homeowners with Hardie^® fiber cement siding, our products hold no appeal for pests.

Watch the video below to hear two homeowners’ stories and discover how you can help protect your home with time-tested siding made by James Hardie.

PEST DAMAGE IN WOOD-BASED SIDING

Woodpeckers are a prominent cause of pest damage all across the country. For homes with wood-based siding — especially those with that are aged or decayed — woodpeckers can cause significant exterior siding damage faster than homeowners even realize what’s happening.

But woodpeckers aren’t the only culprit behind wood-based exterior siding damage—unlike woodpeckers, wood-boring insects like termites live in all 50 states. So, it’s vital to protect your home from exterior siding damage with materials that hold no appeal to critters and pests, such as fiber cement siding.

HARDIE^® FIBER CEMENT SIDING HOLDS NO APPEAL FOR WOODPECKERS

Wood-based siding is more susceptible and degrades more quickly under the attack of woodpeckers and pests, no matter if it is new or years old.

In a recent testimonial, homeowners discuss their struggles with woodpeckers causing damage to their home. Roy Peterson, a contractor with Archway Contractors, helped his parents solve their woodpecker problems by educating them on the benefits of fiber cement and replacing their wood-based siding.

“I walked around with my dad and there were woodpecker holes on the north side of the house, on the south side of the garage, and that was all on the engineered wood that was there,” explained Roy Peterson of Archway Contractors. The engineered wood siding was barely eight years old yet was facing pest damage. “We decided to use Hardie^® Fiber Cement because of the woodpecker issues.”

Clients of Sam Tacheny, contractor at Tacheny Exteriors, faced the same issues on their home. “They went through the cedar siding, they got to the substrate, and they actually pecked through that. I believe Hardie^® fiber cement was the right product to solve the woodpecker problem. Hardie^® fiber cement brings other things to the table outside of pests and durability, like best value, best looking, best performing, and fewer woodpeckers.”

HELP PROTECT YOUR HOME FROM MOTHER NATURE

Mother Nature (and all her critters) can be unpredictable. That’s why Hardie^® fiber cement products are Engineered for Climate^® to help protect against the unexpected, whether it’s pest damage like woodpeckers and termites, extreme weather, or even wildfires.

The design flexibility and durability of our products is why Hardie® siding has been used on more than 10 million homes* and counting. However, it’s not just resistance to pest damage that sets Hardie^® fiber cement siding apart from the rest.

• Fire resistance: Hardie^® fiber cement siding will not ignite when exposed to a direct flame, nor contribute fuel to a fire.**
• Weather resistance: Hardie^® products are Engineered for Climate^® to withstand strong winds, extreme heat, UVB rays, freezing temperatures, and more. Plus, FEMA has rated it highly resistant to floodwater damage.
• Moisture resistance: Hardie^® products are engineered to resist water and humidity better than wood-based siding, which can swell and expand more when exposed to moisture.

Hardie^® products are designed to withstand the unexpected, whether it’s a sudden storm or a termite takeover. When your home’s exterior is your first line of defense, Hardie^® products have you and your home covered.

TRUST JAMES HARDIE FOR DURABLE SIDING

Water damage, extreme weather, wildfires, or pests — Hardie^® products are engineered to withstand it. That’s why Hardie® siding is not only the #1 brand of siding in North America,*** but also a leading innovator in the building industry.

• Learn why Hardie® products are the best option for your home.
• Explore some of the design options you’ll have to create your own dream home.
• Find a contractor in your area through the Contractor Alliance® Program.
• Watch our other durability demonstrations.
• Read more about our commitment to durability.

*Estimate based on annual siding sales from James Hardie since 1991 and average housing unit size each year.

**Hardie^® siding complies with ASTM E136 as a noncombustible cladding and is recognized by fire departments across the U.S. including Chicago IL, St. Paul MN, Flagstaff, AZ, and Wayne County, OH. Fiber cement fire resistance does not extend to applied paints or coatings, which may be damaged or char when exposed to flames.

***Based on a 2021 survey of 1,224 U.S. homeowners.