Why You Should Use Cedar Siding for Your Home's Exterior

Cedar siding has long been the choice of homeowners who are looking to add lasting beauty and character to their home. Cedar is very popular because of the warm feeling and natural beauty that it adds. There are many different types of cedar siding depending on what you are looking for, including lap siding, tongue and groove siding and board and batten siding. All of these different types are very durable and attractive, which make them ideal for exterior siding. These types of cedar are not only used for siding, but they are also often used as trim and decking materials. They have preservatives that make them resistant to rot and insect damage. Using cedar over other building materials is also a very environmentally friendly solution because it is a renewable resource that can be recycled.

Choosing the Best Options for You

Often times when a home owner chooses what type of cedar and what grade they want, the next option is how they are going to finish their siding. There are many different options. You can use solid paint types of finish that will give the wood a distinct color. You could also use a semi-transparent stain, which is popular because it helps protect the wood from moisture and ultraviolet rays. Another reason to choose a semi transparent stain over a solid painted color is because the stain leaves the natural beauty of the wood and the natural feel of the cedar. Whether you choose to have the cedar siding stained or painted there are companies that have the ability to pre-finish the lumber so that it comes to your house ready to go. When you use this option, it often times saves money and time during the installation process. When the siding comes to you pre-finished, installation is as simple as nailing it up on your house.

Cedar Siding Maintenance

Remember that cedar siding does have a maintenance component when being used on your home. First, during installation make sure that you fill nail holes and repair overly driven nails into the wood to ensure the finish stays moisture resistant. Depending on the location, climate and circumstances of the area you live in, you should also be refinishing the cedar you're siding. Depending on whether you used a solid color finish or a semi transparent finish there could possibly be different techniques to restore it. If you used a solid color finish then you will need to clean the surfaces of the siding, chip away any cracked finishes, sand the siding back to the bare cedar, clean and rinse thoroughly and then apply the new coating of finish. Applying a second coat of finish is usually recommended. If you used a semi-transparent stain, then this process may seem a little easier. You can cut out the step of chipping away old finish and sanding when you use a stain. You'll want to use an abrasive brush to clean away dirt and mildew, clean the surface thoroughly and then apply another top coat of stain. Depending on the length of time it has been since the siding has been refinished, you may want to consider a second coat if needed.

Cedar Shingles Direct is a trusted supplier of pre-finished cedar shingles and cedar siding. For more information on how you can side your home with beautiful cedar at half the cost of on-site staining, visit http://www.cedarshinglesdirect.com/.

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The Differences Between Crane Siding and CertainTeed Siding

Two companies have been in the siding business, gaining respect from consumers for their specific products- Crane and CertainTeed. While the two are both giants in the siding business, where do they exactly differ?

Crane and CertainTeed use different materials for their siding products. Crane is known for its vinyl siding while CertainTeed is best for its polymer shakes and fiber cement siding.

The crane siding started out as a small family business that offers personalization of sidings for consumers, providing a more unique and true-to-the-taste style. It has been in the business for three family generations now.

The company allows home builders to create and experiment with their own designs with the Crane Exterior Portfolio. The portfolio allows consumers to select from the many different designs all there for their choosing convenience.

Crane focuses on four general areas in helping consumers achieve maximum exterior control. These are:

1) contrast (the combination of hues, specifically the mixing of warm hues such a red and cool hues such as blue);
2) focal point (installing a gable to retain visual interests from people who see it as well as reflecting individual style);
3) Trim (the patterns that frame elements like windows and walls); and 4) Surface (color and texture used on the surface as the dominant feature of your home).

Crane is also known as a plastics company. It offers plastic materials not just for cladding systems but also for other home and building needs such as windows, gables, trims and entries.

Crane also offers composite panels that provide acoustic and thermal enhancements to the home and buildings. People who want proper insulation and minimized noise level that comes from the outside their homes can find these features very beneficial.

You can also find complete accessories, corners and finishing strips available in Crane. Not only that, consumers can also find advantages with the Smart Trak technology for drainage and moisture to protect the siding from immediate decay. The company claims that its sidings do not need repainting.

CertainTeed is also a manufacturing company for home and building construction materials. Among the company's exterior offerings are the vinyl and polymer shakes siding and fiber cemented siding or what is similar to hardi board. The company also offers insulated siding.

The insulated siding is the newest version of vinyl siding. It is manufactured by adding foam to serve insulation purposes as vinyl alone cannot insulate unlike natural wood. The company also offers the seamless type. Compared with ordinary crane siding that extends only up to 6 feet in average, the seamless type is 40 feet long. Because of that huge difference in size, you cannot see unsightly folds or overlaps.

The companies offer different siding prices and services. CertainTeed recommends Professional installers to install their sidings and to locate the one nearest you, just have check on their website and click the Find a Pro button. Crane offers a more personalized approach of services. Between the two though, more choices are available from CertainTeed in terms of styles, designs, sizes and types.

Did you know you can find out even more about having sidings? To do so visit http://www.bestsidingsite.com/ and see all of our FREE information on sidings today!

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A Vapor Barrier for Your Crawlspace

There is never anything good that stems from a moist crawlspace. Moist crawlspaces can lead to mold, dust mites, various critters, and structural damage. Once mold contaminates your basement, it can become a health hazard and also damage your property value. Moisture in crawl spaces can lead to mold, fungi and insects that can eat away at wood framing.

Moist crawlspaces attract insects and rodents such as: termites, spiders, mice, rats and snakes. It is evident that this is a food chain effect. These critters live and die in your crawlspace. We have the power to stop the moisture from entering our homes when we target the source of the moisture.

How Moisture Enters

Moisture can enter your home in many different places: under the footing, between the footing and the walls, right though block walls, through cracks in poured walls and air vents. Once the moisture is in your crawlspace, it simply lies there in puddles and evaporates into the house. The most common way for moisture to enter your crawlspace is through the dirt floor of your crawlspace-- since you simply cannot dry the earth. Thus there seems to be endless stream of water vapor released into your crawlspace.

Another way water can enter a crawlspace is through mandatory crawlspace vents. These vents let hot, wet or cool air in but they can also let in water.

Installing a vapor barrier is the key to solving your crawlspace's moisture problem. This will seal your crawlspace off from the earth and the outside air, ridding it of moisture and dampness.

Installing a Vapor Barrier

Vapor barriers are designed to keep moisture out by preventing contact with the earth and outside air.

Many people try to fix the permanent moisture problem with a temporary solution, such as either adding a concrete floor over the dirt crawl space or laying down a 6-mil plastic sheet over the dirt. Neither of these will last. The plastic sheet rips easily when someone needs to work in the crawlspace. This then causes moisture to seep back into the crawlspace.

The concrete will solve some of your problems, but not all of them. It will allow you to use your crawlspace as a storage space and can withstand people working in the space. However, concrete is porous and water can seep through the material.

Homeowners are encouraged to invest in a crawlspace vapor barrier system that involves 20-min 7-ply sandwich of high and low-density polyethylene with polyester-cord reinforcement. This is fastened to the dirt floor and also epoxied to the walls. It is tear proof for service people to crawl on and it is also safe to be used for storage-- unlike normal 6-mil plastic.

Orange County Clean Space provides certified crawlspace contractor services throughout California. They specialize in crawlspace repair; dehumidifier, sump pump, crawlspace and insulation installation. They are your solution for mold prevention and the installation of a crawlspace vapor barrier in San Diego and other nearby areas.

http://EzineArticles.com/6514433

Picking the Right Handles for Your Home

A house needs many different handles of various sorts. The two main types are door and drawer handles. A homeowner need not settle for whatever handles a house may happen to have, but can, rather, outfit the house with the handles he or she likes. There are a wide range of handles to choose from, of course. Home centres and hardware stores carry a plethora of handles of many different types. They can also be ordered online. The following are some things to keep in mind when picking handles for your home.

Matching Style

If you already have door and cabinet handles in your house that you like, you may want to match them. Matching door handles in older houses is usually more difficult than matching them in new houses, since with new construction the handles will be fairly standardized and widely available. However, it is usually older houses that have handles needing replacement. If the latter is the case, your best bet is to try antique or thrift shops to see if you can find older handles that match the ones you already have. This is hit or miss, but you might get lucky and find the same or similar vintage handles. You can also simply try to find newer handles that look enough like the old ones that they do not clash too much stylistically. Since many handles are designed to look classic, you can often come fairly close.

New Style

Another approach is just to put new handles on all the doors or cabinets that need them, thus maintaining stylistic continuity. Alternatively, you can replace all the handles in rooms that you will spend the most time in or that you feel need the most work stylistically. You need to find handles that will fit the house or cabinet doors that you are dealing with. This is usually fairly easy, since most doors simply have holes into which handles fit and yet which are not the exact size of the handle. They are usually larger and a variety of handles, for both doors and cabinets, will fit into them easily.

Store or Online Purchase

The advantage of purchasing handles at home centres or hardware stores is that you can touch and look at the handles directly and feel their texture. This can be a good thing to do because you will be touching the handles daily if you buy them, and you should get handles whose textures you enjoy. Online purchase is fast and easy however and you can often find a wider selection. There are specialty hardware distributors that sell handles in many different styles and price ranges. If you look at their selections, you may get inspired to buy some especially artistic or classy handles. Keep in mind though specialty handles can cost quite a bit more, so you need to budget for the extra cost, especially if you have many handles to install.

Installation

Most handles can be installed yourself if you are moderately handy. For door handles with locks, you may wish to have a handyman or even locksmith do the installation. This is an extra cost, so make sure to factor it in.

find out more about door handles

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How to Install Crown Moulding in 4 Easy Steps

If you know anything about home design and the housing market, then you know that crown moulding is desirable. If you are interested in improving your home and want to know how to install crown moulding yourself, use the following steps to guide you along the way.

Step 1: Choose Your Type of Moulding

Before you can do anything, you'll have to decide if you want to use wood, fiberboard (usually referred to as MDF, medium density fiberboard), or polyurethane. There are pros and cons to each type, depending on what you are looking for. Wood is classic, but more expensive. Fiberboard is cheaper, but poorer in quality. Polyurethane is even more expensive, but the most durable.

If you plan to paint your crown moulding, do so before installing it. It will be much harder afterwards.

Step 2: Cut the Corner Pieces

Once you've chosen your material, you'll want to start with the corners. They are the hardest because of the angles. All the other pieces will lay flat against the wall, but the corners will have to be cut in a special way in order to fit. You will need a coping saw to do this. If you are a novice and are uneasy about getting the corner cuts just right, use a premade corner block. They are already cut, so all you have to do is attach them. You can use caulking, but nails would be more secure.

Step 3: Measure the Length of the Walls and Cut the Moulding

Next, you'll want to measure each section of the wall to see how much moulding you will need. With your corner blocks in place, measure from one block to the next. Be as exact as possible in your measurement because you want the piece to fit perfectly in the middle. Cut the moulding pieces according to the measurements you recorded.

If the room has a complicated shape (meaning it's not a simple square or rectangle), you can buy precut outer edge pieces that are already cut at forty-five degree angles. When you use two right up against each other on an outside corner, they fit seamlessly and look professional.

Step 4: Attach the Moulding to the Wall

Since the corner pieces have already been secured, all you have to do is attach the long middle pieces. Attach the moulding between the corner blocks, adding nails every twelve inches or so. (A nail gun makes this process go much faster.) After all the pieces are securely attached, you can use wood putty or paint to disguise the nails. This may not be an issue if you have used a dark wood for the moulding. If you have painted the moulding, you can use the same paint on the nail heads prior to using them. That will cause then to automatically blend in.

These four steps can help you transform your room from mediocre to elegant in a matter of hours. Your friends won't believe you did it yourself!

Enid Glasgow is a writer with a passion for home-improvements, design, and architecture. Learn more about Crown Moulding online.

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Use Insulated Siding for Comfort

An insulated siding is a composite building material that is also known as a tire wall or a solid core. This siding is commercially available as a type of a vinyl siding that a rigid foam insulation. This insulation is made of a modified expanded polystyrene (EPS) that includes a brominated fire retardant called HBCD (hexabromocyclododecane) which has a self extinguishing property.

It is fused behind the exterior surface of the wall to reduce energy consumption, increase insulation value within the wall systems, environmentally friendly, serves as noise barriers to external sound, insusceptible to freeze/thaw cycles distortions, provides organic insect repellant, ability to withstand high winds, and enhance both stability and general appearance of the home sidings.

The sizes of an insulated siding vary by manufacturer depending on the siding application that range from 4-16 ft long and widths of 6-21 inches. This type of sidings delivers outstanding R-value for energy savings that has additional benefits such as straighter course lines and increased impact resistance.

It has an R-value which is per unit of thickness ranging from of 2.2 to 5.1, which is 5 times higher than any other home sidings. It is also manufactured as custom-contoured foam as total energy blanket that continuously insulates the whole frame of the entire house.

When installing these insulating products, this will also necessitate you to install a vinyl soffit and fascia. Using the vinyl siding trim, this holds all the sidings along the bottom of the home, on the corners, in the doorways where there are overhangs and around windows. It must sturdy and perfectly suited to handle the soffits and fascia that latches into these trim pieces as part of the installation process.

Vinyl soffits and fascia used as exterior trim create a maintenance-free look around windows and doors within the entire house. It is easily installed and replaced which adds further protection for exposed wood from water damages for upcoming years.

To replace previous trims, you must remove any existing soffit and f- or j-channel and fascia and undo the downspout from the gutter using a 1/8? drill bit. Then place your j-channel along the wall. Nail the long side of the channel up to the underside of the soffit plywood using one nail every 18? or so and make sure that there are no gaps within the full length of the j-channel.

You must then cut your soffits in short pieces depending on the width of your overhang which are mostly 6? or 1'. Then slide an end into the j-channel and nail the far side of the soffit to the wood fascia board. Using one nail to keep the soffit in place, ensure that it will keep the soffit from buckling.

After cutting the vinyl fascia, tuck its top under the drip edge between the shingles and roof plywood. Finally, reinstall the gutters by nailing them back in place. However, it is essential that you make sure that the nail holes are covered with the new fascia by securing that you have installed them on an angle.

Find out more about having sidings by visiting http://www.bestsidingsite.com/ and get all the FREE information about siding now!

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The Benefits of Mattress Toppers

Mattress toppers are becoming more and more popular as they offer a cheap and practical way of rejuvenating a tired or sagging mattress. Most modern mattresses are very comfortable and offer superb levels of comfort and posture control but they are not cheap. A good quality mattress can cost up to and above a thousand pounds and with today's economic situation can be out of the budget where as a premium quality mattress topper can cost only a few hundred pounds and can revitalise your sleeping experience. So what topper should you choose? Well that all depends on the mattress you already have and what you are wanting to achieve, if you have bought an orthopaedic mattress thinking that if you have bad back this will help improve the situation then you could be wrong and you might be left with a hard sleeping surface. This will not always help relieve the pressure on your back when all you may have needed was a little more posture support from your existing mattress.

Today's modern mattress toppers have a two chamber design and are filled with super soft natural goose feathers and down or the premium ranges offer 100% pure down. They are made to offer superior levels of posture control and comfort as the bottom chamber is normally filled with a mix of feathers and down as this forms a dense layer that is ideal at giving a tired or soft mattress a level sleeping platform and then the top layer is filled with pure down giving you a soft fluffy layer to sink into.

The standard mattress toppers are normally filled with feathers and down in one three inch chamber which gives a very soft sleeping experience but not as much support, they are ideal to use on a hard orthopaedic mattress if you are trying to achieve more softness and less hard spots.

A good deal of technology is now incorporated into the toppers, cassette stitching to ensure a strong robust construction and will give your years of lasting use and internal baffle walls which help keep the filling evenly distributed throughout the cells and stop the down clumping together in the corners. So now you have been convinced that a mattress topper is for you and you are going to save some money instead of buying a new mattress, the next question is: what filling should i choose?

There are a great range of fillings to choose from, memory foam, synthetic microfiber and the two natural fillings mentioned above. Well lets deal with some of the pros and cons then:

Memory Foam mattress toppers are great for posture control and help eliminate hard spots and allowing the body to form the correct sleeping position aligning both the head and hips on a level platform. This helps the body to relax better and stops the need to move about at night trying to get that perfect sleep. The down side of memory foam is heat, if you get hot at night or sleep in a room that is warm you may find that the topper becomes too warm and can make you feel uncomfortable.

Synthetic microfiber or micro down fillings can act like natural down fillings but they can also suffer the same plight as the memory foam. Synthetic down is a great cost effective solution when the budget is tight and you still want a little bit of luxury. We would always recommend the use of the natural mattress topper fillings where possible as they will last longer and offer better levels of support and comfort.

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Privacy and Light Filtering Features From Holland Blinds

Installing blinds to your home is one of the most fashionable and functional ways of covering your doors or windows. Over the years, the window treatments industry has developed so many different types of blinds to choose from. They all come in different shapes, materials, sizes, purposes and functions. The selection is somewhat close to being endless!

Before you get confused as to which type of blinds will suit your home or office, there are many considerations to keep in mind. Ultimately, choosing the right type of blinds for your home should depend on what you actually need them for. For example, do you need the type of blinds that will block all the lights out or will permit all the light in? Do you need the type of blinds that will provide you with different levels of privacy? Do you want a specific color, finish and style to fit your current interior design? Do you want insulation to save on energy costs? Answering these questions will help you narrow down the choices.

Some of the popular choices you may consider getting are roman, venetian, vertical, track and roller. This article however will introduce you to roller blinds, also known as the Holland blinds.

What are Holland blinds? Holland blinds are now being considered as one of the most practical and modern way of covering windows in offices and homes. They are so popular because they are affordable and are available in different colors, materials and designs to suit any home's interior decoration. They are also very easy to maintain because they are made from fabric and can be cleaned using a damp cloth for spot cleaning.

The Holland blinds are made up of a wide and large cut of a hardened or stiffened fabric that is attached to a rotating cylinder which is fastened to a metal railing. They can be rolled up and down to achieve different levels of shading.

The Holland blinds are maneuvered in two different ways. One is by using a special kind of spring that fixes the blinds to a certain level through ball bearings. The other operating type works the same but instead of a spring, a cord is being used to pull the blinds up and down.

What makes the holland blinds special compared to other blind types is its capability to completely control the amount of light from coming inside the rooms. Most of them are made with twin blinds that will let you interchange the room's ambiance depending on your mood or preference. You can choose to either use a total block-out blind for total privacy and cozy setting or a translucent blind, if you want the sunlight to stream inside your room while excluding the harsh effects of UV rays.

Sydney Blinds & Screens will be more than happy to assist homeowners in choosing the right type of blinds for their homes. Visit their website for more information about Holland blinds, other blind types and screens.

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When It's Time to Repair Your Crawl Space

The common crawl space is something most homeowners don't think about everyday. It tends to be a place that is dark, murky, cold, sometimes damp and easily ignored. It can be very hazardous to forget about small space because this space is key to your home's health-if you lose track of it you may find yourself with mold, allergens and unwanted critters.

Mold

Mold is the result of latent moisture. It begins to develop and then feed upon organic materials such as wood, carpet, and paint. A dirt crawl space is a prime target for mold because the dirt will never be completely dry.

Mold's main purpose is to break down dead organic matter, objects that were once living and are now dead and wet. Mold tends to enter through the footing, between the footing and the walls, right through the block walls, and through cracks in poured walls.

After the moisture seeps in, it lies in puddles. These puddles then slowly evaporate upward into the house. The way to control mold in our homes is to control the moisture. Dirt basements with vents tend to be so dangerous because these vents let in moisture. Mold worsens health issues for the many people struggling with asthma and allergies.

Reducing the moisture in your home's crawl space is important for maintaining a healthy home and your home's value.

Allergens and Critters

Dust mite droppings are the number one allergen causing the most trouble for people with asthma and allergies. Dust mites are microscopic parasites that eat dead skin and thrive in humid environments. A moisture filled basement is a perfect environment for these allergens to live.

There are also many unwanted critters that move into moist crawl spaces such as: termites, spiders, mice, rats and snakes. As we can see, it's a food chain that can attract more and more unwanted varmint into your house. Unfortunately, these varmints live and die in your crawl space-sometimes producing very foul and unwelcoming odors.

The Solution

Repairing your crawl space is imperative for a healthy and energy efficient house. You can solve your crawl space problems with four simple steps: fixing the ground water leakage, isolating the house from the earth, sealing out the outside air and maintaining dry air.

First, a sump pump must be installed to pump unwanted water away from your foundation.

The next step is to isolate the house from the earth-as previously mentioned; the earth can never be fully dry making the best breeding ground for mold. Many homeowners choose concrete flooring or some sort of plastic liner.

Unfortunately, concrete floors are porous and do not always provide the expected results. Meanwhile, some plastic liners can rip easily. However, there are some high-level plastic liners that are well-worth the investment.

Look for a liner made out of 20 mil thick flexible plastic, is puncture and tear resistant, and has a dimpled polyethylene membrane to help water flow to a sump pump.

The third step is to keep the outdoor unconditioned air OUT. Vent covers are your friend! They will insulate your home, improve overall appearance and seal the air out. These plastic vent covers will not rot, warp or need paint, and will last a long time.

Step four consists of keeping your crawl space dry. A dehumidifier will continue to rid your basement of moisture by collecting it or cycling it out.

About the Author: Orange County Clean Space provides certified crawl space contractor services throughout California. They specialize in crawl space vapor barrier, dehumidifier, sump pump and insulation installation and other solutions for mold prevention and crawl space repair in Anaheim, CA. Orange County Clean Space proudly serves the residents in the greater Orange and San Diego areas and provides free crawl space repair quotes

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Use Vinyl Siding for a Supreme Home Exterior

A vinyl siding is a plastic exterior cladding used for decoration and weatherproofing for a house. It is an engineered primarily from polyvinyl chloride or PVC. It is manufactured by coextrusion wherein two layers of polyvinyl chloride are placed down in a continuous process. A vinyl siding trim is also commonly used during residential constructions.

The product quality can be measured through its substantial differences and lasting durability. Thicker vinyl sidings are definitely more expensive which are more rigid and adds an aesthetic appeal to the whole structure and increases its life expectancy. Thicker grades of vinyl sidings are more resistant to fading and commonly has UV coating which filters out UV spectral light from the sun.

Well designed sidings have a proper loose nailing locking system that aids the product to expand and contract more to compensate with extreme temperatures. Upon purchasing these sidings, it is also essential to acquire a vinyl siding trim. This is the first thing to be installed prior to the sidings and it is used around the windows, corners, and doors.

It is usually 3 inches wide and has holes for nailing it into the structure. You must collect all the necessary trim pieces and place it in front of the targeted areas such as the windows and doors. You must also make sure that you have all the siding trims and the vinyl sidings enough to cover the supposed area before starting the project.

A building siding may come in various forms such as styles, designs, sizes, and colors. One example of it are vinyl sidings which are widely used because of its durability, minimal maintenance requirements, the products are cost-effective, resists bugs and rots, and combats extreme weather changes.

Some items are custom-made combined with the impact modifiers for consistent color as well as the best stabilizers. The latest technology ensures the best possible insulation performance and sheer strength. However, it is also necessary that you learn to replace vinyl sidings when needed. The bottom of each of this siding must hook on to a lock molded into the top of the piece below it.

The top of each siding be loosely nailed into the studs. The ends must be hidden by corner posts or J-channel with a ¼" gap between the end of the piece and the inside of the channel. This allows expansion within the pieces to counteract with the changes in temperature. The vinyl sidings must overlap by about an inch against each other. This will permit the material to expand and contract without exposing the sheathing of the siding underneath.

The common mistakes committed when replacing vinyl sidings on your own are over tight nailing and failure to pull each row up properly as you nail it. You must be able to pull up each row firmly and without fail which locks it solidly to the piece below it. This will finally help you in achieving the full height out of each piece of siding that has a consistent vertical spacing all around the house.

Did you know you can find out even more about having sidings? To do so visit http://bestsidingsite.com/ and see all of our FREE information on siding today!

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The Crane Vinyl Siding Company

The first ever vinyl siding company was Crane Plastics Company. Over fifty years ago it had produced fine siding and it still continues to produce good quality vinyl siding up to this day. Crane Plastics Company provides a breadth of experience in both extrusion technology and materials formulation that no other manufacturing company could equal. It is currently the biggest manufacturer of exterior vinyl siding in the world. Crane's Solid Core Siding line provides an intact system of exterior siding.

So, if you want to have vinyl siding for your home, it would be best to contact a quality siding company such as Crane Plastics Company. Aside from the above mentioned qualities its vinal siding has to offer, Crane also has insulated vinyl siding that works great for improving the overall energy efficiency of a home. This insulated siding has been tested and proved to increase the R value of an exterior wall by as much as R-4.

That would be an incredible increase in the total assembly value of a wall, especially that a lot of homes have a rating of less than R-15 for their entire walls. So, that will make their insulated vinyl siding increase its efficiency by over twenty percent. Furthermore, these siding panels have been tested and proven to be very durable. These siding panels have great impact resistance ratings to withstand whatever the environment does to it.

They also come in various beautiful colors. Crane's foam based panel also comes in sixteen-inch lengths to limit the seams on a home by forty percent, compared to other vinyl siding. So, if you choose this, the overall curb appeal of your home will be greatly improved.

At first, you may encounter a bit difficulty when you start installing siding; but you just have to follow the manufacturer's procedures. Vinyl siding repair may also be covered by your manufacturer's warranty. This siding is made of polyvinyl chloride which is similar to the vinyl used in windows and gutter materials. It can last up to many years with just very little maintenance.

Its color is solid throughout, so scratches will not show, unlike that of steel and aluminum siding. And unlike wood sidings, it requires no painting, since it is already colored. It also comes in vertical panels and horizontal panels that are embossed to look like wood lap siding. When installing, you need several special tools such as a nail hole punch which punches slots in cut panels; a snap-lock punch which presses dimpling panels into the utility trim; an unlocking tool which separates panels.

You just have to be cautious in installing vinyl siding because polyvinyl chloride expands and contracts more than other building materials. So, in order for you to do it right, you must nail in the center of the slot when you nail panels or accessories. Also, never nail any piece very tightly. You must never nail through the vinyl itself, either. Then, leave a few inches clearance at the ends of panels; and do not pull the siding panels up tight when you install them.

There is a whole lot more information about vinyl siding. Just visit http://www.bestsidingsite.com/ and see all of the FREE information on siding today!

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A Few Familiar Issues That Will Lead to Water Damage

We all have our fair share of problems. Some of them are big and some are very small. If you are a home owner and have been for a long while, you will probably think of your home almost immediately when you hear of someone having problems. This is mainly because there are so many issues that will pop up quite often around the house that will require your attention. One of the biggest problems that a home owner may ever have is in relation to experiencing some form of water damage inside the home and there are some familiar issues that could easily lead to this type of a disaster.

The best way to begin with a list is to start at the top, and that's also the part of the house we will start at. The roof of your home can either be your friend or your worst enemy, depending on the condition it is in. The roof is arguably the most important layer of protection that your house has to combat the elements outside, so it is understandable why it is so important to maintain a good roof over your head. If your roof has been neglected and is in a poor state of condition, then it is unable to perform it's duties well and eventually will result in allowing water to come into the house. This makes a bad roof the number one source for most water related problems in the home. One of the primary reasons a leak in the attic can so easily lead to excessive water damage is because it can go undetected for a long period of time, especially if you do not go into your attic often.

Crawl spaces underneath the house also provide a window of opportunity for water to enter your home and create havoc from beneath. It is quite easy for crawl spaces to take on a certain amount of water from time to time, and this should not be surprising considering where the crawl space is located. As rain pours down it will run along the ground and if your home is in it's path, the crawl space is probably within reach. To avoid this problem from happening you will want to be sure that your foundation block is sealed well and there is a good drainage system in place to help usher the water away from your home's foundation. In addition to those precautionary measures, it would also be a good idea to put a plastic sheet down in your crawl space that covers all of the exposed earth that you have present under your home. This will prevent moisture and water from coming up from beneath the ground and entering the crawl space area.

One more issue that could contribute to water damage that is worth mentioning is the windows on a house. While windows can be an outstanding source of light for the interior of your home during the day, they can also be a way for moisture to come inside your home as well. If a window is broken, cracked, or simply not sealed well it can actually let water seep into your home. This will cause decay in the wood casings of the window itself, as will possibly also create water damage in your drywall and on the floor below the window. The windows in your home should be in excellent shape and should not show any signs of damage. If they do, you should repair or replace them right away. You also need to be sure that the edges of the windows are all sealed well. If you find any cracks or beginning signs of deterioration in the silicone that surrounds the windows, you should reseal them with a recommended caulk to ensure that they remain tightly sealed so they can protect your home from water coming in better.

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