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HOW
TO IMPROVE AND EXTEND THE LIFE OF YOUR NEW YORK & NEW
JERSEY SIDING |
Due to the increasing real estate costs and property taxes associated
with moving in the tri-state area, many homeowners who are looking
for a change have been focusing on rebuilding rather than relocating,
taking the NY & NJ home improvement industry to new heights.
This means that today’s thriving New York and New Jersey suburban
home remodeling market is poised for diversity and filling more
and more niches than ever before. This can range from extensive
landscaping to putting up siding on your home—which can improve
its attractiveness while also preventing weather damage.
However, putting up siding in the traditional manner is not only
costly but also requires several skilled laborers to effect a final
result that is both aesthetically pleasing and reliable. Add this
to the fact that today’s siding industry is exponentially
proliferating, the gap for these skilled workers is becoming greater
and harder to fill.
Or so contends siding expert and American inventor Greg Albracht
who has created the Siding Master™ system to address this
problem. According to Albracht, “there is a growing concern
in the siding industry of where the labor market will be in the
future. There is not enough qualified labor right now to support
the industry as it stands today. The future lies with products like
mine that address all the problems that are associated with labor
challenges."
Albracht addresses these problems and more in the following interview:
Q: What prompted you to create Siding
Master?
A: I have been involved in the siding
industry for almost 3 decades, moving from an installer to sales
manager for my father’s 68-year-old siding company. It has
always been a major problem to find qualified labor to install siding
correctly. Unfortunately, most siding installers only care about
the money they can earn before moving on to the next job. And when
laborers have this attitude, the homeowner is the one who loses.
This is why improperly installed siding is now rampant throughout
the US. On top of improper installation, moisture, damage, mold,
rot, and decay have become major issues. Moreover, building science
experts, such as Dupont Tyvec and a recent report commissioned by
HUD, accentuate the need for the 4 D’s: proper Deflection,
Drainage, Drying, and Durability. It occurred to me that someone
needed to find a practical solution to these problems and so Siding
Master was born.
Q: How does the system work?
A: It’s pretty simple, but was
not simple to design—it took me over 12 years to develop it.
In a nutshell, this Patented system is a high-tech steel furring
strip with clips that are punched out of the strips. These clips
receive all types of siding including vinyl, fiber, cement, and
wood. The strips are secured to the substrate with screws and the
clips align the siding for a straight wall. With nailed siding it
is almost impossible to nail every single nail correctly on every
single siding panel every single time. Installers do not always
hit the studs when nailing and this can actually void manufacturer
warranties. My system, with new Install-a-Wall™ and Align-a-Stud™
technology, helps ensure that your manufacturer’s warranty
will be in effect. The strips also build the wall out approximately
1⁄4” of an inch to create a drainage plane, or the airspace
behind siding, where the wind-driven rain that gets behind all siding
can drain out quickly and dry. This drainage plane is a key feature
and helps prevent rot, mold, and decay and is highly recommended
by building science experts. (It is estimated that up to 80% of
homes may have mold in their walls; most homeowners only become
aware of the mold after it is too late to change it.) This system
ultimately saves time and money on labor. There is not another product
on the market with all of these built-in features.
Q: What are some of the major problems
associated with traditional siding systems and how is the Siding
Master system different?
A: Mold and moisture damage can cost
a homeowner thousands of dollars to repair. Improper installation,
such as improper nailing, missing studs and misalignment, make walls
look wavy and unprofessional. I believe if homeowners truly knew
how siding is installed today and how installers do not take the
time to install siding correctly, they probably wouldn’t buy
siding at all. This is why I developed this patented system so the
homeowner can have peace of mind knowing that their siding has been
installed correctly and that the system they choose will help prevent
the moisture damage that would have eventually led to mold, rot,
and decay.
Q: Why should homeowners choose the
Siding Master system and how much money will they save by choosing
it?
A: The homeowner should choose Siding
Master because they will receive a straight looking installation
that will help prevent future service calls and moisture damage.
The product is about the same end price as a nailed installation,
or less, depending on the quality of labor used. The money savings
over time can run upwards of several thousands of dollars because
of the cost to replace damaged walls caused by direct contact nailed
siding. In other words, it’s cheap insurance that can help
the resale value of the home. (And keep in mind that insurance companies
don’t cover mold in walls anymore.)
Q: How does Siding Master improve
the state of the home remodeling industry?
A: It helps bring back the professionalism
the industry has lost. It gives the homeowners confidence that certain
companies—like MyHome—care. Companies that truly care
about their customers are the ones that use the latest innovations
like Siding-Master, not just the cheapest thing they can find so
they can make larger profits.
Q: What do you see as the future for
siding and what new products will you have to offer?
A: The siding industry is continuing
to grow, especially fiber cement siding. Vision Building Products
recently launched two new products. The first one is called Furring-Master™.
It is comprised of high tech steel furring strips made of 22 gauge
G-90 galvanized steel. It can be used for various applications such
as a rain screen for fiber cement, wood siding, stucco and EFIS
to create airspace for proper drainage and drying. Furring-Master
is also used for roofing as a attachment, venting, drainage and
drying system. It is superior to other types of venting and drainage
mat systems or wood furring strips because it will not crush, rot,
warp, buckle, burn or absorb moisture and offers more airflow and
venting capabilities than roll out mesh, dimpled drainage mats or
wood furring strips, thus achieving a much straighter looking installation.
Furring-Master™ also serves as a steel furring strip beneath
flooring, walls and ceilings in basements and kitchens. Wherever
a wood furring strip is used, Furring-Master™ can be used.
The second new product is our overhang attachment and alignment
system. It is used for porch ceilings and overhangs. Just like Siding-Master™
this system creates airspace and helps equalize the pressure that
drives wind-driven rain up into the soffet and porch ceiling. It
has superior attachment strength compared to nailing because the
fasteners are attached to the steel strip as well as into the stud
or framing. As with all three of our products—Siding-Master,
Furring-Master, and our overhang system—we incorporate our
new patent-pending Install-A-Wall technology™ that speeds
up the installation process dramatically, thus creating a product
that can pay for itself while offering all of the features and benefits
built into one product.
Siding Master and Albracht’s other products are available
exclusively through MyHome here in the New York and New Jersey renovation
market. As part of our commitment to providing better and more complete
service to homeowners, we offer only the best in technological advancements
and believe Siding Master offers our clients a unique advantage
for ensuring the safety and longevity of their homes. For more details
on how to become part of the renovation future and make your home
a Siding Master home, call us immediately at 800.730.0148. |
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