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VINYL SIDINGThe popularity of vinyl siding has exploded in recent years. And why not, it is maintenance free, it comes in a variety of colors, shapes, and textures. It protects your home from the elements and is quickly installed by professionals. Often, it can be installed over your existing house covering. Some drawbacks are: Some colors can fade over time. It has been know to be ripped from homes in high winds. If there is a leak in the siding, it will trap moisture against the unprotected wood of your house and can promote mold and rotting. That is why it is important to hire a quality contractor, or be sure that you know what you are doing if you install it your self. Again, like anything else, you get what you pay for. Quality is determined by thickness. Lower grades of starts at .035 inch thick. Higher grades can be as thick as .50 inch. You will find many products in-between those two thicknesses. Make sure you understand the quality of the product you are purchasing. Check out this excellent link for a very detailed discussion of
vinyl siding.
It probably has more than you ever wanted to know.
BRANDSThere are a multitude of brands available today. I have installed many brands and I can’t say that I like any one brand better than another. As stated above, it usually comes down to the quality as dertemined by the thickness. The thicker the siding, the better the quality. Thicker products can stand up to wind and heat better than a thinner products. In my opinion, the brand is not nearly as important as the thickness a particular brand offers.
WARRANTIESWarranties vary. Make sure you ask your supplier or contractor about their brands warranty. In addition, if you use a contractor, make sure you ask him how long he warranties his installation. It may take a long time to discover there is a leak due to improper installation. If your contractor only warranties his installation for six months, the chances of you finding a leak in that time are very slim.WHERE TO BUYThere are many places in the Greater Lansing area that sell siding. You can look in the Yellow pages and find multiple dealers. I have done business with Norandex of Lansing. They have a good product line. I really liked doing business with Allied Building Products, however they have recently gone out of business. My favorite salesman, from Allied (Darryl) has been hired by Eikenhout on North 27. I have not done much business with Eikenhout, but I have done a lot of business with Darryl. I know that Eikenhout offers a quality product line. They deliver, and they offer good service. If you ask for Darryl, he will make sure you get everything you need. He can also explain the product lines to you.If you are strictly price conscious, then you will probably want to check out the larger chain stores. They are often cheaper than the local suppliers. But they do not have the best service nor is their staff very knowledgeable about installation. So be sure you know what material you need and how to install it, because you will not get much help from the chain stores.
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