As you consider replacing your siding with Hardie or SmartSide Siding and make the decision which siding option is right for you, next you get to choose the colors you would like to paint your home’s new exterior. Making a paint colorchoice can be quite overwhelming to many people so we are going to provide you with some ideas to help you along the way with this daunting task.
With so many colors and combinations to choose from, who can you turn to for help? One option is Sherwin-Williams who offers a very helpful online visual tool called “Try On Colors. This online paint color selection tool provides you the option to take pictures of your actual home, upload it and literally, “try on” paint colors to view what some options you may have in mind or that are available will look like on your home. They also have a link for tips choosing exterior paint colors that we highly recommend. DIY Network also has great information for exterior paint colors that you and your family should check out.
Some Painting Points To Consider:
Move Over Monotone, Multi Colors is The Trend for the Body & Trim!
As you are pondering your home exterior painting project, some of the first things to consider is whether you want your home painted with one single color, two or several? Do you want the body and trim to be that same color, or accented to compliment one another? The trend of many 21st century homeowners is that they are painting their exteriors with multi-colored accenting and contrasting colors. This is a popular choice as it gives your home a “pop” with aesthetically pleasing siding and trim dimension and contrast giving the home more personality and enhanced curb appeal (as opposed to a flat monotone paint selection). You will notice all of the paint color selections we have included in this post are two or three tone options.
All in the Family Colors
This is a biggie to be aware of as the paint colors you choose are going to be on your home for many years. Make sure that your home’s exterior paint color scheme is belonging to the style of the home and the neighborhood keeping in mind it is a good idea that accenting colors borrow from one another. It is important to make sure that the paint color and or colors that you have chosen work well together and are complement of one another and do not clash.
Make That Door & Shutters Pop With an Accent Color!
It is interesting to note how much more your homes individual personality will what we call.. “pop” with the added accent of an offset painted door and or shutters. This should be a color that belongs and that works with the paint color scheme of your home.
Flat, Satin or Gloss Paint Finish?
In the past many years ago it might have been more common to see a gloss paint job regardless of the color that was chosen. That has changed over the years to a more modern look. Flat and satin paints have become much more popular as gloss finishes has been faded out. Homeowners are not wanting their home to have that plastic shiny look, but are moving to a low luster subtle sheen of a saying or as some call it, eggshell. Something also to think about, the flat can be harder to clean so if you are in an area with a lot of dust, a satin finish will clean up with much more ease. Here at Texas Home Exteriors we are seeing about 80% of the paint color finishes waiting by homeowners to be satin.
Some Quick Points To Consider:
Monotone VS. Multi Colors
Strong Accent Colors
Paint Finish
Fitting In With The Neighborhood
HOA Paint Color Approval
Paint Color Combination Suggestions:
Blue Body
Khaki Body
Tan Body
Gray Body
Red Body
More Gray Body
Yellow Body
Deep Tan Body
Final thoughts
As you can see there are some nice paint color combinations that you can choose from. Here at Texas Home Exteriors we are happy to have posted this helpful information. Feel free to make any comments below that you might have on exterior paint color choices.
Suntuitive Smart Replacement Windows – Self-tinting Glass Technology
There are a multitude of windows available to homeowners with a variety of options. When it comes time to replace your old inefficient windows with new energy efficient replacement windows, another option to research and consider is one of the latest and greatest technologies yet, Texas Suntuitive Self-tintingSmart Windows!
Smart Windows that Change With The Sun
Just like smart phones, windows just keep getting smarter and smarter with the latest technology. Actually, it is about time that what is available for commercial buildings is now available for our homes. With the wonderful and innovative Texas Suntuitive Smart Windows Self-tinting glass technology, windows intuitively adapt throughout the day, gradually and dynamically darkening as they heat up from direct sunlight. The more direct and intense the sun’s energy, the more the glass warms, the more it will darken and tint.
Low-E Glass + Much More
Most energy efficient replacement windows have what is called a Low-E “low emissivity” coating. This coating bounces back outside the sun’s infrared rays. However the Low-E can only do so much. This is what make our Intuitive Smart Windows so unique. They have the best Low-E coating on the market, 366 + they get darker further intensifying its total heat resistance power.
As the windows transition darker and darker, the adaptive glass tint technology blocks the heat from coming through your windows while balancing the intense glare which in turn preserves the view through the windows. The tinting reduces the need to pull down the shades or close the blinds or drapes so you can enjoy more hours of comfortable natural daylight coming in through those sun-facing windows. We put windows in so we can see out not to close off the view, would you not agree?
How Do Suntuitive Self-tinting Smart Windows Work?
Suntuitive During the Daytime:
Our innovative Suntuitive Smart Replacement Windows feature a lightly tinted UV/sunlight responsive, thermochromic interlayer that warms up, gradually darkening in response to the rising temperature of the glass surface from the direct sunlight. The glass then clears as the sun lowers in the sky becoming indirect now allowing light to once again pass into the home.
As the glass warms and darkens, this intensifying tint blocks any harmful UV rays and lowers the solar heat gain coefficient SHGC from the windows. The solar heat gain is the biggest energy enemy in homes throughout the country especially in the south. Direct sun on glass will generate 250 BTU per square foot of glazing per hour so this tint transition can make a huge difference. No other replacement windows stops as much unwanted heat from entering through as the Texas Suntuitive Smart glass technology does.
Suntuitive During the Early Evening & Night:
As the sun moves across the sky and is begins to set, the Suntuitive Smart Window responsive glass will begin to cool. As the glass cools, it returns to its natural clear state again. So, at night or during cloudy non-sunny days, when the direct sun is not present and hitting the glass, the Suntuitive responsive glass will remains clear, allowing for the most natural daylight to enter your as possible.
Our Suntuitive Self-Tinting Smart Glass naturally and passively adapts throughout the day, every day of the year, constantly balancing the heat and glare coming in through the windows and into the living space keeping the view through the windows as the sun lowers in the sky and sets in the evening and nighttime and they return to their clear glass state.
Three Panes Of Performance Glass
Most replacement windows consist of just two panes of glass. The Suntuitive Smart Glass system consists of the following components to provide unparalleled performance from the outside in:
As you can see, the Suntuitive Self-tinting replacement windows provide the very best in total efficiency and protection. When it comes to gaining energy efficiency, no other window will provide more that the Texas Suntuitive Smart Glass, year after year.
In simple terms, our Texas Suntuitive Smart Windows offers you are your family several layers of performance and protection as can be seen in cutaway view chart above.
Nearly Unbreakable Suntuitive Laminated Glass Equals A Quiet & Safe Home
With the Suntuitive Smart laminated glass Windows, you will enjoy a greater reduction of noise reduction into your home from outside sources. The Suntuitive Interlayer (center) of the laminated glass is a stiff semi rubber like product that has great sound reduction properties.
This is called Noise Attenuation, the reduction of sound waves through a substance or material. Because our windows come with a laminated glass package (Suntuitive Interlayer) as a standard, you will notice the best possible noise reduction you can find anywhere because of the sound damping properties found within the laminated glass unit.
Drive up banking teller windows are similar in that they are often using a thick laminated safety glass product. Now imagine having that similar window for your home. This is possible with our Texas Suntuitive Smart Windows have self-tinting laminated safety glass interlayer that will also make your home much more quiet and resistant from unwanted outside noise. An example of this might be, the Saturday morning southeast Texas neighbor mowing the lawn. This now becomes a non issue, case and point.
VLT= Visible Light Transmission also known as VT =Visible Transmittance: (VT or VLT) measures how much light comes through a product. VT is expressed as a number between 0 and 1. The higher the VT, the more light that comes through the product. In the southeast Texas metro area, it is desirable for southern facing windows that receive a strong dose of sunlight to be tinted due to extreme brightness that they receive.
ST = Solar Transmission: This is a rating for heat transmission through different types of glasses compared to an ordinary single clear glass window that would have a solar transmission rating of 1. The 1. ST rating is allowing in effect 100% of the sun’s energy to pass into your home interior. Where an ST (solar transmission) rating of let’s say, .20 is only allowing 20% of that heat transmission into the interior of your Texas home. In Short, the lower the ST, the more blocking properties and the least amount of heat will enter into your home’s interior.
Most Important In The Southern States Is. . .
SHGC = Solar Heat Gain Coefficient: (SHGC) measures how well a product blocks heat from the sun. SHGC is expressed as a number between 0 and 1. The lower the SHGC, the better a product is at blocking unwanted heat gain. SHGC is particularly important in southern climates like Texas. Most replacement windows like Simonton, Pella, Anderson and the like brag about being in the .35 -.25 range. Suntuitive Smart Windows when in it’s tinted state, are a remarkable .12 low number. Now that is some major sun blockage that equals the most energy savings for your money!
Some of the Many Benefits of Texas Suntuitive Replacement Windows
Suntuitive glass offers comfort and peace of mind without sacrificing your view and providing more comfort and safety from your windows. These innovative smart windows offer wonderful benefits including but not limited to:
Maximizing solar heat gain; maximizing day lighting
Reducing interior glare
Blocking solar heat
Reducing outside noise
Natural lighting and clear outside view
Optimizing energy efficiency
Consistently comfortable temperature
No maintenance
Shielding interior home and family from damaging UV transmittance
Impact and security tested
Forced entry tested enhances home security
Self-tinting, Energy Efficient, Quiet, Safety & Impact Resistant
As you can clearly see, this technology is very exciting and unlike any offered with the typical vinyl replacement windows which have been on the market and so popular throughout the country for years now. The adaptability of the Suntuitive Smart glass can help lower the costs associated with heating, air-conditioning and lighting which can represent up to 70% of a home’s total energy consumption.
From no direct sunlight equaling its clear state, to direct sunlight equaling its self-tinted state, Suntuitive Smart Windows do it all. Our Texas Suntuitive self-tinting replacement windows come with a wonderful list of benefits over traditional replacement windows that is sure to benefit you and your family. If you are in the Houston Texas metro or surrounding areas, please give us a call at Texas Home Exteriors and we will be happy to come out, give you a demonstration of this remarkable product and provide you with an estimate at no charge.
Please post comments below and let us know if you have additional questions or suggestions on how we can improve this post, we love to hear from you!
Comments, Thoughts Or A Free Estimate? Feel Free To Post Below!
Instant On Demand Tankless Hot Water Heaters Are Here To Stay!
It seems, we as humans want everything now and on demand. This includes wanting hot water in our homes fast. With people wanting their hot water in an instant we are seeing the popularity of the new instant tankless hot water heaters growing as Homeowners are realizing the benefits and the great features which are giving a boost to its much gaining popularity.
In this post you will find out about the features and what you should know when considering this option. This post focuses on comparing the tankless electric water heater to the standard tank type water heater we are all familiar with.
Quick View – Rheem Tankless RTE-18 vs. 50 Gallon Water Heater
Some BIG Differences for Consideration
Just by looking at the image above, the huge size difference is obvious between the two heating units. The heater on the left is a Rheem Tankless Water Heater RTE 18 and the second is a Rheem 50 Gallon Hot Water Heater. This image is an actual representation of the size difference of the two units.
Quick Reference – Features of Tankless vs. 50 gallon Tank Water Heater
As you can see there are some great differences between the two water heater units. Below are some additional points to consider..
NEVER Run Out Of Hot Water @ 5 GPM
With the Rheem RTE 18 Tankless Hot Water Heater, you will NEVER run out of hot water. This is because the water is heated on demand. If you so desired, you could take a shower for a month and never run out of hot water. A typical shower will use about 2 GPM. This is why when you take a long shower with a typical tanked water heater, the water goes cold and the 30 40 or 50 gallon unit can not keep up.
When this happens, their is a wait for that 30, 40 or 50 gallons of water heat up again, how long depends on the tank size of your heater and the temperature you like the water. Keep in mind that the usage flow rate for a tanked water heater is only about .75 GPM, this is why it will never catch up with the 2 GPM flow rate shower or bath you are trying to enjoy.
Installation Cost – One Person Installation vs. Two
Although the tankless water heater option may cost a small amount of more money up front, the installation cost should cost you less for a few reasons. First of all, you do not need a water heater drain pan/leak catcher underneath as the traditional tanked unit to catch overflow from the pop off valve (not to mention events like a leak from the rusted out bottom happen, then a pan is a must with this option). And, it is quite easy for one person to install the tankless water heater vs. the required two people needed for the tanked water heaters, should lower the cost of installation.
Electric Usage Tankless vs. A Standard Tanked
Is energy efficiency important to you? Well then here is something to think about, a tankless water heater only uses electricity when being used, on demand. The tankless unit will use about twice the electric draw @ 35 amp (approx) over a tank unit but the running time is less than 1/10 of the time. Most standard 30, 40 and 50 + gallon water heaters run in long cycles on and off 24/7/365 days a year. But keep in mind that this draw on costly electric is slow @ 15 amp (approx) but it is all day long 7/365. The tankless instant hot water heater uses twice the electric, however runs approximately 1/10 of the time rewarding you with 35-65% on average saving in electric usage.
No Hot Water Relief Valve Needed
Traditional tank water heaters fill up then begin heating process. During this process and the heating of so many gallons water at a time, the water expands as it heats requiring there be a hot water pressure relief valve in necessary. The hot water pressure relief valve is designed to allow the water to escape so the tank does not have to endure too much pressure or even possibly explode which could be dangerous and could flood your home with how water. A tankless water heater needs no tank and therefore does not require the installation of an expansion valve.
Size of Heating Unit
This is where the tankless water heating unit wins over big time and one of the most obvious reasons. The units are significantly smaller than the tank water heaters and there is even make a version that is about half the size represented here for compact space like placement under sinks or in a motor home, etc. Try putting a traditional tank water heater under most sinks.
The Down Side to Tankless
Most homeowners love the ease and performance of their tankless water heater. However there is one drawback we have found. Because the unit draws more current in short intervals of usages, as opposed to a slow 24/7365 usage pattern, you can see the effects of with your home lights flashing during the strong current draw. This is very slightly noticeable but it is something the public should be aware of, please respond if you have a remedy for this issue.
Quick Bullet Points To Consider Benefits of Tankless Water Heaters
Simple & Fast Installation
Space Saving
Much Less Energy Usage
Longer Warranty (no possible leaking tank)
No Drain Pan Needed
No Extra Initial Cost
Increased Dependability
Conclusion
So in a nutshell, the tankless instant hot water heaters are a great option for heating water and they are here to stay. They provide all the hot water one could desire in a easy-to-install compact unit that takes up much less space. The unit can be easily installed by one person and the energy efficiency of the unit will save homeowners money. In this day and age, this is a very good thing to have if you are a homeowner and want lower utility bills. Note: a licensed electrician and plumber is needed for installation.
Questions or Comments?
Here at Texas Home Exteriors, we encourage you to ask any questions, share your thoughts and comments below. Thank you most kindly. Greg Kapitan of, Texas Home Exteriors INC.
I am Greg Kapitan and I have been working in the home exterior siding business since the early 1980’s personally witnessing the evolution of siding products with a history of installation of a variety of siding products with my own hands.
Recently I took a much needed break from the business and found myself on Martha’s Vineyard sitting there noticing the cedar shingle siding on the waterfront home where my wife and I were staying. I realized this cedar shingle siding has been quite common and the norm in New England with little change in the siding market in this part of the country. I thought about how this was so unlike most of the rest of the country and started thinking about how has siding products evolved over the years and found myself researching the subject.
A Brief History of Siding Timeline
Keep in mind as you read that this timeline is according to my own personal experience since the 1980’s but I do believe that many other siding contractors who were involved in the industry during this time would have a similar experience to share. The stories of the evolution of siding will include information on all of the the following siding options:
Introduction of Asbestos Siding Products
Asbestos Shingle Siding
Asbestos Shingle Siding – This product was introduced in 1907 when Ludwig Hatschek invented the process for creating asbestos cement a process that is still used today. It comes in a stack of thinly pressed together small sheets of siding (3’x2′) that is made from a mixture of asbestos, portland cement and water then pressed between metal plates with heavy pressure creating sheets.
The product was considered superior and by the 1920s was recommended by the National Board of Fire Underwriters to replace wood as a siding and roofing material boosting an increase in sales for its ability to protect structures from moisture and its ability to provided insulation from heat and fire.
Additionally, the product was comparatively light weight, easy to apply, weather and fireproof, had a nice appearance and permanence, all made the product a popular choice. This siding product is one of the very first siding products I installed with my own hands in the state of New York early on in my home improvement career.
Reputation of Asbestos Siding
Asbestos siding will last for many years and has a history of rarely having warranty issues. The problem most homeowners may have experienced with this product is the fact that it is brittle and cracks at a gentle to moderate impact. The product had no flexibility whatsoever and it could often seen on homes with the bottom row of the siding broken off from the wheels of lawnmowers or other items had bumped into it.
Dangers of Asbestos Siding
There are several issues to consider with the dangers of asbestos siding including the dust which was known to contain 20-45% asbestos, this is a concern the public was made aware of later. The asbestos fibers can easily become airborne when the product is being power washed, sanded sawed, drilled, removed or disturbed. Workers in the industry are at the greatest risk of being exposed to the fibers during manufacturing, installation, removal, renovation and demolition processes. High levels of this toxic dust can often be found in the factories and plants resulting in a high risk of diseases caused from the exposure.
The Popularity of Asbestos Siding
From around 1907 until the early 1980’s this siding product was well received by the public as well as with siding installers over the years. During the late 1960s and early /70s the news media began to report the health issues and the EPA banned the use of asbestos in the manufacturing of building products in 1973. Into the 1980’s the health risk with Asbestos siding became so apparent with public awareness regarding the dangers of breathing in the dust and causing mesothelioma that, the popularity of new installations with the product soon diminished quickly to just about non-existent today.
Introduction of Aluminum Siding Products
Aluminum Siding
Aluminum Siding modern siding was born in 1937 with Francis “Frank” Hoess securing patent on the process in 1938 with the method of using a locking joint to solve the problem of water leakage that were a problem of siding designs of the time.
In the late 1947’s showing up in the market as the next biggest and greatest siding option and was the rage of the 1960s. This siding product was very popular with installers due to it coming in long horizontal lengths of 12′ long and up to 12″ wide for quick installation and it came pre-painted, right out of the box.
The product was manufactured from aluminum coil that was chemically coated to protect the metal and then paint was applied for further protection and color that was baked on for a bright and durable siding product.
Reputation and Problems of Aluminum Siding
Aluminum Siding experienced great success since the late 1940’s. After the product was initially installed it was time to see how it would stand up to the elements. The issues that homeowners started encountering was it easily dented even a good hail storm can damage aluminum siding. If someone were to hit it with a baseball or golf ball, it would most certainly leave a dent in the product. Furthermore, dents were noticed from impacts from car doors, lawnmowers and other minor impacts. It was like the dents you would see on automobiles.
The Tin Men Movie
It was like a new problem was borne for a variety of reasons. For instance, metal conducts heat and in the summer can even be hot to the touch if painted with a dark color and in the winter it actually sucks the heat from the home requiring it be well-insulated to prevent the problem. There was also the issue of paint peeling off from aluminum siding due to paint adhesion issues of aluminum siding, this is a metallic product that is not very good at holding paint. There were also siding chalking and fading paint issues that became a huge turn-off for many homeowners.
The painted surface of aluminum siding provides minimal adhesion and the siding also moves at a different rate than the paint. So with temperature changes especially when exposed to the sun where the aluminum gets hot to the touch expanding as metallic product do, the paint would often fall off in small sections.
Popularity of Aluminum Siding
The aluminum siding product was most popular in the mid 1950’s- early 1980’s due to the marketing of never having to paint your home again. With the product becoming so wildly popular even Hollywood got involved producing a movie comedy about it in 1987 called Tin Men starring Richard Dreyfuss, Danny DeVito and Barbara Hershey is worth watching.
Today the Aluminum Siding product has lost most of it’s popularity due many of the issues with paint peeling, fading, chalking and denting issues mentioned above. Today aluminum siding sits at only about 15% of the siding market share. Most of the remaining market of new installations is in the northeast and midwest part of the country.
Introduction of Vinyl Siding Products
Vinyl Siding
Vinyl Siding products were introduced into the market back in the late 1950’s when plastics gained popularity. The vinyl siding product became a direct rival to aluminum siding competing with the market for its fair share of the home improvement market gaining 32% of the siding market in the United States. Keep in mind that this was an era when plastics and vinyl were being embraced and loved by many Americans in many different products.
Reputation of Vinyl Siding
Move over aluminum, here comes vinyl! Coming into the market as a replacement for aluminum homeowners were enticed with the fact that you would never have to paint as well as the color was not just surface but was through the entire thickness of the panel. With this came the love of Vinyl Siding and great success for the product in the mid 1960’s. They could now simply pick out a color and not have to worry about the paint ever coming flaky and or chalking off of the siding panel. The product was also pitched by many home improvement companies as an end all to the denting aluminum siding issue.
Problems with Vinyl Siding
Besides the problem with the siding not holding its color without fading or yellowing and that the product buckles in the heat, one of the most common complaints reported about vinyl siding after installations moisture would often be found forming on the surface in humid climates. Additionally, water intrusion and/or retention of moisture behind the siding product was also a concern. Due to the products lack of breathing ability, the product could hold moisture in the walls often causing mold and rot issues. There were also a number of incidents reported of the product cracking when being struck with only moderate impact.
Popularity of Vinyl Siding
The vinyl siding product was most popular in the mid 1960’s until continues to be very popular still today. Vinyl siding was and continues to be marketed as never having to paint ever again, offers better insulating qualities than aluminum and will not dent or have peeling paint issues. Vinyl Siding popularity continues to this day in some cities in the northeast part of the country although overall, it has lost more than 60% of its market share due to competing products such as fiber cement (such as HardiePlank) and LP SmartSide siding, engineered wood siding. I believe another issue was that homeowners were now looking to move away from the shiny plasticky look that vinyl siding often look like for something more real and wood like. Fiber Cement (Hardie) and SmartSide offered that look by far and away over Vinyl.
Introduction of Fiber Cement Siding Products (Hardie Plank)
James Hardie Siding, HardiPlank Textures
Fiber Cement Siding, so next in comes the bulldog of all siding products, fiber cement siding “Hardie Plank Siding“. The reason I say “bull dog” is that this product was introduced to the United States siding market by a company called James Hardie with strategically planned domination of the US siding market. In 1990 they set out to cultivate the market for fiber cement with a mass-marketing strategy.
The company came into US the market with a notable presence in the late 1990’s with promises of a competitive pricing with wood, vinyl and aluminum selling on benefits of the product being fireproof, rot resistant and not easily damaged or dented as well as resistance to bug infestation. The popular Australian company James Hardie who manufacturers fiber cement siding products came on the scene at the perfect time when homeowners in the US were looking for an alternative siding product to the current vinyl and aluminum siding products and took the market by storm.
Reputation of Fiber Cement Siding
From its rapid introduction to the siding market back in the late 1990’s to this very day, the fiber cement siding product has experienced a very good reputation. They had to get past the fact that with the homeowners that they would, once again, have to return to an acceptance of having to repaint their homes once again after experiencing the vinyl siding products promises. The fiber cement’s reputation slightly waned as many homeowners and contractors alike began posting about fiber cement siding issues as well as fiber cement siding defects all around the internet.
Another issue homeowners were reporting was the same issue that the asbestos siding product had which was the brittleness of the product. Additionally there were a variety of installation issues as well as hammer marks, broken pieces, shrinkage gaps and the dreaded broken and chipped edges on the bottom row of the siding homeowners were commonly experiencing from lawnmowers, weed eaters and the like.
Popularity of Fiber Cement Siding
Click See & Enlarge GOOGLE Report – SmartSide (Blue) Becoming More Popular Than Harde (Yellow & Red Both Spellings)
Fiber Cement siding by James Hardie had a steady increase in popularity finally peaking out right around 2014 at which time the siding enjoyed a respectable market share of over 69% of the US market. Homeowners, contractors, builders and the big box home improvement retailers all sold, and were sold on, the fiber cement (Hardie Plank) siding product.
All of this started to change when some of the above issues started to surface with fiber cement (Hardie). In the meantime, homeowners started seeing another siding product on the market in 1997 called LP SmartSide. Homeowners and installers started sharing their experiences of the new product and it started to gain traction to catch up with the fiber cement siding market. After nearly ten years, the fiber cement dominance was now in for some stiff competition as per the Google chart above and what we are now hearing from homeowners.
Introduction of LP SmartSide Siding Products
SmartSide Siding by Louisiana Pacific (LP) is the manufacture this engineered wood siding product. Just like fiber cement product, it has been around since the late 1990’s. The product was not heavily marketed like its rival fiber cement. As a matter of fact, when fiber cement by James Hardie first came into the market, there were not offering manufactured trim to go along with the siding so builders and remodelers were using the LP SmartSide 1″ X 4″ and 1″ X 6″ trim along with the fiber cement siding product on their projects.
The LP SmartSide product is manufactured strand board. The wood strands are coated in a a treatment of resin and zinc boreate to protect it from termites and rot, compressed into the siding board and coated with a moisture-resistant overlay embossed with a cedar grain pattern, the end result is a siding product with superior strength. Additionally, the SmartSide Siding product has been tested and proven to resist heat and sun exposure, impacts, rot and fungal decay and termites.
Reputation of LP SmartSide Siding
Unlike fiber cement which starting to decline from dominance, LP SmartSide siding has been steadily gaining ground since its conception. The product is enjoying a reported good reputation and continues to grow in popularity today. Homeowners and builders alike are enjoying the extreme durability factor that has led to no callbacks due to damaged siding struck by lawnmowers and even more moderate impacts as well as its resistance to moisture and termites.
The biggest reported issue with the SmartSide siding product, is the one time expansion issue which is resolved with proper installation using the suggested gaping method all certified remodelers are trained to do. To this day, there are no reported issues with the performance of properly installed LP SmartSide Siding. Additionally the product comes with a 50 year warranty.
Popularity of SmartSide Siding
LP SmartSide Siding Options Click to Enlarge
According to Google, you can see by clicking on the chart above, from November 2015, how Smart Side (in blue) has been been gaining ground on the Hardie fiber cement product since mid 2007. It is interesting to note how in the current day (2015) SmartSide has gained so much ground that it is soon to surpass Hardie (fiber cement) in interest and popularity.
Builders and remodelers alike are shifting their preference to installing the SmartSide vs. Hardie Siding product. This is for a variety of reasons some include the following: the product being lighter in weight, the siding pieces are longer at 16′ vs. 12′, more durable so no breakage issues, much less dust, more user-friendly for the installation crews (no special tools needed). Homeowners are also liking the deeper wood grain embossment that gives the product a closer real look to wood.
It is interesting to note that once the siding crews experience installation of the LP SmartSide siding product, they do not want to install anything else.
Conclusion: At this point with factual and informative hindsight considering the evolution of siding products, it is necessary that I use a legal term for this conclusion, “case closed!” For me the decision is clear what my choice for siding is today.
Please share your comments, questions and/or thoughts below, we always like to hear from you.
If you have lived within the Houston southeast metro Texas area for any length of time, you have surely encountered at least a hail storm or two. This post provides some useful information to help you steer clear of the door-knocking, storm chasers so prevalent during these times it is important for homeowners to be aware of roofing scams and insurance fraud issues that can come back to haunt you later.
If your home is ever hit with a hailstorm, you will notice that within hours of the storm, roofing contractors and “storm chasers” will show up in your neighborhood knocking on your door claiming that your roof has hail damage and offering to help. You will also find them also claiming that your roof can be replaced for free with a roofing insurance claim.
These storm chasers will often leave flyers on the doors of the homes with their contact information etc.. if the homeowner is not home. These types of companies are called roofing storm chasers and are often come from out of town as well. Some of these out of town storm chasers roofing contractors will even go so far as to contract with local roofing companies paying them commissions to use their local roofing company name.
Is Covering Your Ductable Illegal?
The storm chasers will often offer to cover your insurance deductible for you. Many homeowners want to make sure this is not illegal or committing insurance fraud. I can assure you it is illegal; however, there are some gray areas to be aware of on this subject. There are two mainly predominant ways these types of roofing fraudulent insurance scams have played out over the years, the first way being by submitting a “Fake Invoice to the Insurance Company“. A roofing company charges the homeowner one amount for roof the replacement, for example, in this case let’s use $9,000, then once the job is finished, the homeowner submits the roofing company’s revised receipt or invoice to his insurance company showing the higher amount of $10,000 which covers the $1,000 deductible (so they are not covering your deductible but the insurance company is!). The insurance company is being told that you paid $10,000 to replace your roof which you paid $9,0000 for. They keep the $1,000 for the deductible and send the $9,000 reimbursement to you or the roofer, you don’t have to pay the $1,000 out of pocket and the roofing company gets the insurance money.
This all seems like a nice winn-winn for both you as the homeowner and the roofing company who installed the new roof, right? WRONG! This roofing company and you as the customer/homeowner could end up in hot water by your insurance company for insurance fraud. if you fell for it and find out later you have been scammed, you might not only could have charges against you but lose your homeowner’s insurance! The truth of the matter is, your roofing company and yourself as the homeowner have participated in deceiving your insurance company for financial gain.
The second way is a “Yard Sign Advertising Reimbursement“. Your roofing company bills you as the homeowner for the full replacement value of the roof at the maximum amount that the insurance company will pay for replacement. A “change order” is then used to reduce the final price to the consumer/homeowner in an amount that is now equal to the deductible. The homeowner in return now agrees to advertise for the roofing company by displaying a yard sign for their services in the front yard of their home. In short, the insurance company is paying the deductible costs by being are misled with yet another roofing scam and insurance fraud situation that the homeowner fell for and is the one who will ultimately pay if caught.
Helpful Links About Roofing Insurance Scams and Licensing Requirements By State
So, there you have it. The best thing that you can do to protect yourself from getting a fraud count against you and/or losing your homeowner’s insurance is to stay clear of any roofing storm chasers and their insurance claim scams by remembering that honesty is the best policy. This way you or your insurance company will not ultimately have to pay in the end. Pay your deductible, be grateful the insurance company is covering the major portion of your roof replacement and find a local Texas roofing company with references that are honest. As you can see that there is a lot of gray areas on this subject.
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