What could look worse than a home bearing rows of cracked and yellowed vinyl siding shakes? A landfill crammed with them. Luckily, recent developments have made vinyl siding shakes a reliable choice for creating beautiful views.
Oversight of vinyl siding shakes
The Vinyl Siding Institute (VSI) has begun certifying vinyl siding products to protect consumers. It examines three key points:
- Product integrity
- Color retention
- Installation procedure
The organization maintains the certification process' rigor through random inspections by third-party, accredited agencies and ongoing technical clarifications. The following chart outlines certified product lines:
|
Manufacturer |
Profile |
Size |
Certified colors |
|
Certainteed |
Northwoods |
Single 7" Straight Edge Rough-Split |
15, 2 pending |
|
Certainteed |
Northwoods |
Single 9" Staggered Rough-Split |
15, 2 pending |
|
Certainteed |
Northwoods |
Single 10" Hand-Split |
7 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Foundry |
Builder's Edge |
7" |
None |
|
The Foundry |
Mid America |
7" |
None |
|
The Foundry |
The Foundry |
7" |
None |
No product can deliver its best if installed improperly. Be sure to locate and use a certified contractor whenever possible.
Foresight of vinyl
Recently, vinyl siding has become associated with sustainability. All the scrap produced in the manufacturing of vinyl can be recycled, and post-consumer vinyl products can be recycled in a 100 percent closed-loop process. About 70 recycling centers devote themselves to vinyl recycling in North America, and more are likely. VSI points out that the use of vinyl siding reduces the environmental impact of siding renovations in these key areas:
- Energy consumption
- Energy costs
- Carbon dioxide emissions
Vinyl has come a long way since its introduction to the market in the 1960s. Today's vinyl products can beautify the home that is your house and the one that is your planet.
