Tag Archive for: Vinyl Siding Installation

Alside Vinyl Siding

Choosing the right siding for a home can be a daunting task.  Siding comes in many materials, colors, styles and prices.  To make the decision easier, consider a material that offers it all.  Vinyl siding is one such product.  Vinyl is the most popular siding material for either homes under construction or existing homes in need of replacement siding.  Even historic home renovators choose vinyl siding because of its design flexibility.

Alside

Alside is a leading manufacturer and retailer of vinyl siding.  This company offers perhaps the one of widest range of vinyl siding products of any company producing and selling vinyl products for home building and renovation purposes.  The company prides itself on giving the homeowner ample style options suitable for their home’s architectural design, whether it be mid-century modern, contemporary or a grand Victorian design.

The company’s almost endless array of designs include horizontal and vertical siding types, traditional clapboard in wide or narrow panels, smooth or grainy wood finishes, and a wide variety of colors suitable for the historical, traditional and contemporary home styles.

Beside the fabulous style and color selections of Alside’s siding, it is so durable that it comes with a limited lifetimeVinylAlside warranty protecting the homeowner against manufacturing defects for the life of the siding.  During the siding’s extremely long life it will remain virtually maintenance-free.  Alside vinyl siding will never need painting or staining.  The siding will not rot, peel, chip or dent.  All the siding requires to keep looking fresh and new is an occasional wash-down with an ordinary garden hose.

If the homeowner is still in a quandary over which style of vinyl siding is most appropriate for their home, the team at United Home Experts, a local home improvement company, will be able to help them out with this.  Alside vinyl siding products will be able to furnish even the most perplexed homeowner with the company’s color and style guide to help them overcome this dilemma.

One excellent choice of local contractors for homeowners residing in the New England states of Massachusetts, Rhode Island or New Hampshire is the team at United Home Experts.  Our experienced home remodeling contractors are known for our product selections and expert installation of siding.  With the sage advice from people who know the home renovation business and the style offered by Alside, New England homeowners will be able to enhance the curb appeal, durability and value of their home.

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Siding Installer

Siding ranks right up there with roofing as one of the most important elements part of any home.  Siding not only affects the way a home presents itself to the world. Quality siding, when properly installed, also ensures that a home is structurally sound and keeps energy costs under control.  Cheap siding, or siding which is not properly installed, can cause big troubles for a homeowner.

A homeowner considering the installation of new siding should consult a professional siding installer for two KriegerDuring (2)-resized-600reasons.  First, installing siding is both a skill and an art, and must be done with the right materials.  A homeowner, even one skilled in general maintenance work, may not be qualified to apply modern siding.  The second reason has to do with the warranty on the siding.  Siding is an investment, and in order for that investment to be covered by the manufacturer’s warranty, the siding must, in almost all cases, have been installed by a licensed professional. The professionals at United Home Experts have years of experience, and they are generally regarded as some of the top siding installers in Boston, MA and throughout the Northeast.

Homeowners have several different options when it comes to replacement siding.  Wood, aluminum or vinyl are three of the most popular choices.  Many installers have arrangements to carry products from only one siding manufacturer and thus will only recommend that siding, even if it is not necessarily the best choice for a particular home’s style or the homeowner’s budget.  This is not the case when dealing with United Home Experts.  They install a wide variety of siding brands, so their free siding consultation will not be compromised because they are beholden to a single siding company.  This is a distinct advantage to the homeowner, and one of the many reasons why UHE has so many happy customers.

A professional installer can see to it that a home is wrapped in low-maintenance, long-lasting siding that will give x--pictures-mike d photos-2011 website profiles-21 green afterthe homeowner a great value for their money.  A professional installer comes with up-to-date equipment, years of experience, a thorough understanding of all permits and forms required in the Boston area, and the skill necessary to side any size building, from single-family homes to large, commercial structures.

Between materials, installation, building permits, warranties and maintenance, there is a lot to consider when embarking on any siding project. No two siding installers in Boston, MA are the same, so it is important that homeowners take the time to consider all facets of home siding before making their choice. The right siding, and the right siding installer, can make sure that the finished product is something the homeowners will cherish for years to come.

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Mastic Siding

It is often said that a product is only as good as its warranty.  If that is so, then the limited lifetime warranty on masticvinyl-resized-600Mastic vinyl siding says it all.  There is only one way a manufacturer can afford to offer such a warranty – the product must be good enough to live up to its claims.

This is only one of the many reasons that Mastic siding has been one of the top choices for re-modelers here in the harsh and unforgiving climate of the Northeast for many years.  This is not an area where one can afford to make a guess, play a hunch – or purchase the second best.  And it is most definitely not an area in which a homeowner can afford to make a mistake.  Making a mistake on home siding can cost a homeowner thousands in extra energy bills, not to mention the time and expense required to rectify the mistake.

The home siding experts at United Home Experts sell a variety of home siding so they are not beholden to any one company.  That makes their expert advice highly sought after by professional builders and homeowners alike.  It is strongly recommended that any homeowner considering re-siding a home here in the Northeast should contact the professionals at United Home Experts for a free siding consultation before committing to any siding contract.

Durability is not the only reason that homeowners overwhelmingly choose Mastic vinyl siding when it comes time Mastic_Alcoa_2008_logo-resized-600to re-side a home.  Mastic also offers one of the largest selections of textures in the home siding business.  Mastic knows that looks matter – especially on something as personal and as valuable as a home.  Mastic textures can mimic almost any type of siding available to local homeowners.

Mastic offers traditional lap siding, vertical siding, and shingle siding.  All Mastic products are fully insulated, offering one of the highest “R” ratings in the industry.  This guarantees that a homeowner with Mastic siding will enjoy tremendous energy savings for their home here in the Northeast.

Style, durability and superior insulation are only half the story.  Mastic also offers more color choices for siding Mastic-resized-600than almost anyone else in the area, affording a homeowner the luxury of choosing just the right color and shade for any home.  Mastic also offers protection against dents and dings, and Mastic vinyl is 100% insect resistant  –  both promises which very few sidings can claim.  Vinyl is the only siding that combines all of the elements that a homeowner here in the Northeast is looking for in one affordable and easy-to-install package.

Homeowners here in the harsh climate of the Northeast have several choices when it comes time to re-side a home, but no choice is better over the long run than heavy-duty vinyl siding.  Wood and aluminum siding both come up far short of the protection, the beauty, the insulation and the long-term value and afford ability of Mastic vinyl siding. Any homeowner seeking to improve the look, value and energy efficiency of their home should consult the professionals at United Home Experts to determine if Mastic is right for them.

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Cedar Impressions

For many homeowners in the New England states, the shingles they choose for their home must help the property to fit into its natural setting.  Importantly, too, the shingles must also be strong and durable enough to withstand the harsh climate of this part of the country.  CertainTeed Cedar Impressions shingle panels happily fit both criteria. CertainTeed Corporation is a long-standing manufacturer of building materials, with a history stretching back to 1904. It offers an impressive lifetime limited warranty on all their siding products, which remains valid for as long as the homeowner owns the home and longer.

The Manufacturing ProcessCedarImpressions-resized-600

CertainTeed’s Cedar Impressions shingle panels are engineered using injection molding of durable polymer.  This produces a thick, rigid siding material.  The panels are designed to stand up to hurricane force winds, ensuring their suitability for even the harshest New England weather.

The panels are designed to fit tightly together with reinforced nail slots and molded perimeter locks, giving the finish a seamless look and holding the panels together with utmost security.

In the manufacturing process, Cedar Impressions shingle panels are given an authentic wood grain finish that is intrinsic to their natural look.  The process gives the shingles the appearance of real wood.  The staggered pattern creates a look of cedar shingles that have been hand sawn and applied one-by-one.  These shingle panels are equally attractive when applied to the entire home’s exterior or to add interest as a textural accent to any style of home.

CertainTeed Cedar Impressions shingles come in a vast array of colors, sizes and designs to fit any architectural style as well as the home’s surroundings.  Their authentic wood look, their colorations and the way they are applied all add up to a natural-looking structure that is very much an integral part of its surroundings.

Another major benefit of CertainTeed’s shingle panels is that they require virtually no maintenance.  The colors will not fade, and, as stated earlier, are engineered to stand up to a hurricane.CedarImpressions01

For homeowners in or near the states of Massachusetts, Rhode Island or Southern New Hampshire, a good choice for their home improvement projects is United Home Experts.  The professionals at UHE understand the weather consequences of this region of the United States and can help the homeowner choose the material that is best for their particular project.

United Home Experts are also skilled home renovation contractors, so the home will not only have the curb appeal the homeowner is looking for, but will also provide the materials and application techniques to keep that exterior attractive and maintenance-free for years to come.  For a free estimate and to see real customer testimonials, click here or give us a call at 888-724-6865.

Homeowners who care about not only the exterior FCness of their home but also about how well it fits into its natural setting will appreciate the look, durability and variety of this remarkable shingle panel, manufactured only by CertainTeed.

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Certain teed Siding

Siding is one of the most important features of any home, especially here in the harsh climate of the Northeast, and it can be one of the most difficult decisions for a homeowner to make.  This is understandable, as siding must do many different things for a home.  It must look pleasing and fit into its surroundings.  It must be durable and able to stand up to the extremes of weather that this part of the country is so famous for, which can range from freezing cold and snow, to wind, sleet, and hail, to brutally hot summers.  Finally it must be energy efficient, and it must fit into the average homeowner’s budget.

Asking a siding to do all of these things is obviously asking a lot, but one type of siding steps up to the plate here in the Northeast and hits a home run every time: Certain Teed vinyl siding.

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Why is Certain Teed vinyl siding the best choice?

Let’s start with the alternatives.  There’s wood siding, there’s aluminum siding, there’s fiber cement siding and there’s vinyl siding.  Stone and brick are also choices, although they are generally a building choice and not a siding choice, strictly speaking. There are other siding materials, but most of the others simply cannot stand up to the harsh weather conditions the Northeast may throw at them.

Wood siding is good for some places in the country, but here in the extreme Northeast, where winters can get bitterly cold and summers scorchingly hot, wood is not a good choice.  Wood cracks, allows water seepage, and is susceptible to insects.  Wood treated for insects must be retreated every few years, adding greatly to its overall expense.

Aluminum siding has its advantages, but many homeowners find it aesthetically unappealing, and aluminum is also prone to denting.

Fiber cement is a good choice.  While fiber cement can be subject to water damage, this can be alleviated by professional installation.  Fiber cement is, however, more expensive in most cases than vinyl.Vinyl-BlogPhoto01-resized-600

Vinyl siding, especially when installed by experts with many years of vinyl experience, such as those at United Home Experts, is the clear choice.  Vinyl seldom dents, warps or cracks, no matter how severe the weather gets.  Vinyl does not absorb water, nor is it at all susceptible to insects.  Vinyl also comes in a wide range of pre-painted, baked-on colors — or it can easily be painted in any color a homeowner chooses.

Another great advantage that vinyl has is its insulating quality.  Combined with heavy-duty insulation, pre-cut to fit snugly inside the vinyl sheeting, vinyl siding’s insulating qualities cannot be beaten by any other siding.  And as every New England homeowner is likely aware, every bit of heat saved is money in the homeowner’s pocket.

What Does Certain Teed Offer?

Certain Teed offers eleven different product lines with one of the largest selections of wood-grain and smooth vinyl siding in the business.  Certain Teed vinyl siding also comes in a wide range of both vertical and horizontal siding, with a huge selection of widths to fit any homeowner’s taste and budget.  Certain Teed also edges out its competitors when it comes to color selection, offering just about any color of vinyl siding that a homeowner could want.dutchlappanel01-resized-600

Any product is only as good as its warranty, and Certain Teed siding offers among the best warranties in the business.  Depending on the grade of vinyl chosen, (the mid to high grades are recommended for our area) Certain Teed’s vinyl siding is covered by warranty for anywhere from ten to twenty years.

There is a lot to consider when choosing a home’s siding, so it may be a good idea to consult experts before making a final decision.  The people at United Home Experts have years of experience when it comes to installing siding in this part of the country, and they offer a wide range of different types of siding, which means they are not wedded to any one particular type or brand of siding.  This means you can count on them to help choose the best siding for your home.

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New Types of Siding Means Easy Maintenance

Owning a home is a deeply rewarding experience, but sometimes home maintenance chores and upkeep can quickly erase those feelings and make homeownership seem more like a burden instead. Luckily, there are several key choices that a savvy homeowner can make to keep their home looking great all year around, and with little to no effort or additional expense on their part.stacked everlast

One of the best and most economical ways to accomplish this is by considering the installation of siding on the home. Not only does the installation of siding minimize the need for costly and repeated siding maintenance, it also offers an additional defense barrier against the elements. This is especially true for homeowners who reside in the Northeastern and New England area, and who are familiar with the challenging climate conditions that occur locally.

Though it may seem like a heavy expense initially, installing Everlast Composite Siding is an investment that pays for itself over time with surprisingly low maintenance costs and a long-lasting useful life. Not only does this type of new siding for houses come with a lifetime warranty against fading, but homeowners who choose Everlast Composite siding can quickly bring their home back to its original luster with an easy hosing down. For those harder to remove stains, such as oil, paint, or other similar product, a simple rag and a small amount of almost any standard household cleaner can get the job done.

Another low-maintenance and surprisingly low-cost siding option is vinyl siding. This type of siding for houses offers some of the protection of Everlast Composite Siding, though weaker, it fits into even the tightest of budgets. The siding maintenance for this option is also easy and takes very little time and effort from the homeowner. With a strong pressure washer, cleaning vinyl can be done in a fairly short amount of time.

Fiber cement siding, is another low maintenance option that is great looking. It offers all of the protection of new siding installation yet offers a convenient way for a homeowner to maintain a beautiful home with virtually low maintenance all year round. Use of a pressure washer can help clean up Fiber Cement siding in no time at all, and, just like the other siding choices, tougher stains are handled with a little hands-on spot treatment.

Although it does require much more maintenance, there is also a wood or cedar siding option for those homeowners who are looking for a more authentic look and feel to their home. Repairs on wood siding are actually easier to repair than those on vinyl siding, and for some, the cost and upkeep is far outweighed by the beauty of true hardwood.

Interested in learning more about available siding options? We at United Home Experts can give a homeowner an on-site cost estimate and can answer any other questions regarding siding installation and cost. Give us a call today to learn about all the benefits of top-quality siding.

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Brick vs. Vinyl Siding

When considering siding for a home, the first things to think about are appearance and strength. While most siding can resist weather, two types of siding stand out as long-lasting: vinyl siding and brick siding. They are both great choices for durability and beauty.

Vinyl is a good home siding that requires little maintenance—it just needs hosing off a few times a year. There is no need to paint, asVinyl-BlogPhoto01-resized-600 the vinyl comes in a rainbow of colors, the darker colors preserved with anti-fade agents. It is also available in a wide variety of styles and comes with a lifetime warranty. This type of siding can also help reduce heating and cooling bills by providing an insulating layer.

Not very difficult to install for the homeowner, vinyl costs less than brick and has many other advantages. Vinyl can be removed and reinstalled elsewhere. The homeowner can add a room, or just change a look fairly easily, as this siding is screwed on, then locked with the panel below it to seal it from the weather.

That said, vinyl siding is vinyl. While strong and resistant to mild weather, it will not have the durability of brick. The lifetime warranty can vary, from the life of the product to the life of the consumer. There is no legal definition, so reading small print is highly recommended. Expect it to last about 20 to 25 years.

Brick can give a rustic look to a home and can be beautiful for decades. Brick is usually installed as a veneer, not a part of the structure, and is water-permeable. This siding needs to be installed over a waterproof membrane. The disadvantage to brick is that it is pricey, especially if installed correctly. Brick is not so easily moved from place to place, and can add significantly to the price of a remodeling job. It is also not a job for the homeowner. Brick panels are heavy and are connected with portland cement, a mortar made of lime, sand, and water.

Brick is considered permanent, but it will deteriorate, especially at joints. Repointing, replacing the damaged mortar, may need to 0picture0021big1-resized-600be done eventually. If installed well, however, that will not need to be done for many years.

Brick siding and vinyl are at opposite ends of the cost spectrum, but both can increase the value and beauty of a home for years.

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Vinyl Siding Pricing

If you’re thinking about installing vinyl siding for your home, it’s a great option which can not only provide strong benefits over other types of siding, but it can also be more affordable than people sometimes think.

The price of vinyl siding will depend on many factors, not only concerning the type of siding that you use, but the scope and complexity of the job, and any additional work which may need to be done in advance of installing the siding.

Certain types of damage will have to be repaired before beginning. If for example the walls under your existing siding have become exposed and the wood is rotting, it will have to be replaced before your new vinyl siding can be installed.

Siding Cost Comparison

This graph shows where vinyl siding is in terms of cost in comparison to other siding options. Click here for more specific information on terms of cost of other sidings.

Also check out SidingMagazine.com’s Siding Calculator for accurate ranges for siding replacement costs!

Other steps which can drive up the price of vinyl siding include whether you will be adding or replacing trim, the type of insulation required, and any building permits if they are needed.

By understanding the different factors in the price of vinyl siding, you can be sure to make an informed decision.

The price of vinyl siding can depend very much on the preparation work required, but it is still a very wise and cost-effective choice in the long run.

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Installing Vinyl Siding Over Wood Clapboard or Shingles

When first exploring a siding installation project many homeowners assume the best way to install vinyl siding is right on top of their existing wood shingles or clapboard.

So let’s answer the questions: “Is it a good idea to install vinyl siding over existing wood shingles or clapboards?”

There have been a few select cases in which we as a company were willing to do this, but it’s rare–probably less than 1% of our siding installations.  So our answer is typically “NO, it’s rarely a good idea to install vinyl siding over wood.” Why?

  1. Hidden Rot, Mold, and Deterioration
  2. Lack of Weather Protection
  3. Adds Thickness to Walls

1. Hidden Rot, Mold, and DeteriorationRotted-wall-under-vinyl-sid

1. Most likely there is more rot, damage, or mold under your existing siding than you ever expected.  Installing another layer of siding would not solve the problem and in fact make it worse. We’ve completed thousands of siding projects over the years and in most cases we find some amount of rot, mold, or deterioration that was undetectable from the surface. It’s not usually widespread (Although is some cases it is), but it’s enough that homeowners are usually shocked at what is found. The second reaction from homeowners is that they’re glad they didn’t just go over the old siding with another layer.

2. Lack of Weather Protection

2. When installing a layer of siding over another layer, you forgo the option to wrap the wall with a moisture protection barrier, also known as a vapor barrier. The most common product is Tyvek®, but there are other products like Typar®, and Everwrap®. Although thin, these products perform a significant duty in protecting your home.  A moisture barrier provides protection from outside moisture, but is breathable in order to let built-up moisture escape from your home.  In conjunction with wall insulation, moisture barriers also reduce draftiness.

3. Adds Undesirable Thickness to Walls

bad-windows-with-vinyl-sidiThe most common practice when installing vinyl siding over existing wood shingles or clapboard is to first put up rigid foam or fan fold.  These products are designed primarily to pad imperfections on the walls so the new layer of siding will lay flatter.  However,this means adding 1/2″ padding, and another 3/4″ or 1″ of siding to your existing wall.  It total you’ve added about 2″ of thickness to the walls which means your windows and doors will be set in more than usual.  Most people consider this a rather unattractive look.

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