Hometown Exterior Designs

Angie's List Owner Recommends Vinyl Siding Installation

2010-05-27T09:08:00.000-07:00

Here's some fresh news that makes all us siding contractors smile. Angie Hicks of Angieslist.com (you can review us there, by the way) is spreading the good word about the benefits of vinyl siding. Stating that curb appeal and protection from the elements, she says that installing vinyl siding can be a great benefit to homeowners. She also says that while vinyl siding and wood siding are the most popular choices, an up and comer is Hardi Plank siding or fiber cement siding.

Angie also recommends performing an annual inspection of siding on your home (if you already have siding, especially wood). You can then determine if you have spots that need fixing or if you require a more thorough siding replacement job.

Lastly, Angie warns that although many homeowners like to DIY it, siding installation and replacement should be done with a professional, insured contractor. Installing vinyl siding yourself can be dangerous and potentially void its lifetime warranty. When choosing a local siding contractor, try to get three estimates and pick the one with the best track record and price.

New House Bill t o Help Homeowners Instal Vinyl Siding

2010-05-12T08:53:00.000-07:00

Last week, the House approved a bill that would provide homeowners with incentives to install energy efficient insulation on their homes. The Home Star Energy Retrofit Act, referred to as "Cash for Caulkers", is a $6.6 billion measure that will allow approximately three million homeowners to invest in energy efficient insulation, doors, and windows. On the other side of the coin, the bill also aims to foster job growth in the siding industry.

Better yet, Rep. Mary Jo Kilroy co-sponsored an amendment that could significantly help homeowners save on vinyl siding installation. The Kilroy amendment offers tax rebates to homeowners who install vinyl siding as part of an energy efficiency program.

The bill passed in the House by a vote of 246 to 161. Many Republicans oppose the bill, citing that it is not paid for and will require significant tax payer dollars. The bill still needs approval in the Senate but is expected to pass quickly and be signed in to law by President Obama soon after.

LP Siding Replacement is Still a Hot Issue

2010-05-06T08:17:00.000-07:00

LP Siding replacement is still a hot topic of discussion in Portland, Oregon and Vancouver, Washington. It's not really surprising. Too many homeowners the Pacific Northwest (and throughout US) were victims of the LP siding disaster.

When LP siding first hit the market, it was lauded as an inexpensive siding solution that was produced using a state of the art method. Many homeowners jumped at the idea, and who could blame them? However, little did they know that there was an inherent problem with the product. It was virtually impossible to seal properly because in order to save money, the manufacturer only sealed the outside of the siding. If any water leaked underneath the siding, some serious trouble would develop. Because LP siding was little more than ground up wood by products, water that seeped in would cause the siding to swell. Furthermore, fungus spores that where lying dormant in the wood pulp that made up the siding became active as the moisture and warmth of Northwest summers worked it's magic. Now, homeowners had deformed siding with mushroom-like growths sprouting from it.

As more and more homeowners notices this and tried unsuccessfully to get their LP siding replaced, a law suit arose that ended in a settlement. While homeowners can no longer cash in on the settlement, they can still try to file a warranty claim with LP or look into having their LP siding replaced so that the problem doesn't get worse.

We still hear stories of people who are dealing with LP siding issues. One Northwest resident said they got "the royal bone" from LP siding and that "LP gave me the equivalent of a stick of bubble game to replace my LP." We've helped many with filing Louisiana Pacific siding warranty claims and we've helped even more replace their old, rotting LP siding with new, safer alternatives such as vinyl siding, cedar ridge siding, fiber cement James Hardie Plank siding, or acrylic siding.

Let's Make Sense of Window Replacement Tax Credits

2010-04-14T09:26:00.000-07:00

While overall numbers in home improvement improvement jobs are down, the number of window replacement jobs is way up! Why? A $1,500 government tax credit! As a part of the American Recover and Reinvestment Tax Act or 2009, this isn't even limited to windows, but includes energy efficient heating & cooling equipment, too.

Homeowners who install energy efficient windows by the end of the year are still eligible to cash in on this generous tax credit. However, there are a lot of specifics when it comes to tax credits and how to make sure you qualify for them. It's always a good idea to contact a local window replacement contractor in your area and work with them.

A few things to be aware of: only window upgrades qualify for the tax credit. New construction projects are not eligible. Also, if you're looking into DIY window replacement, make absolutely sure that the SHGC (Solar Heat Gain Coefficient) and the U-Factor of the windows you buy are both less than .30. Confusing? Feel free to ask me about it!

Don't Miss Out on Vitamin D - Let the Light In

2010-04-09T07:13:00.000-07:00

Now, more than ever, researchers and health practitioners are noting the importance of Vitamin D. Vitamin D is essentially for health and aids in the absorption of calcium (the mineral essential for health bones). How do we get vitamin D? From the sun!

Here in the Pacific Northwest we all know, that at times, it can be quite challenging to get sunlight. Especially during our winters and early spring, we need to take advantage of every ray of sun. What do we do? Rush out of our homes into the cold in a desperate attempt to soak in the light?

While that is indeed an option, it's not the only one. If you happen to be a homeowner interesting in a making a nice investment in your home, you can kill two birds with one stone. Install a sunroom on your home and let the light in! A glass sunroom allows you to make the most of the daylight so that you can enjoy better health and happiness! Aside from allowing your body to create Vitamin D, sunlight also brightens our mood!

Learn about the importance of Vitamin D.

Learn about different kinds of FourSeasons sunrooms and get a free design consultation.

Governor Kulongoski - Oregon's Energy Future is Green

2010-04-05T16:51:00.000-07:00

Last Wednesday, Oregon Governor Ted Kulongski had an article published on Sustainable Business Oregon proclaiming that Oregon's "energy future" is green! Kulongski lamented that out of the $12 billion Oregonions spend on energy every year, most of it goes out of the state or out of the country. A huge way we can keep this money in our collective pockets is to invest in and use sustainable, renewable energy.

Governor Kulongski wrote of various State programs that are designed to promote the adoption of renewable energy link energy tax credits and incentives, a low-interest loan program, and a "public purpose charge" that is set to raise $100 million a year for renewable energy. He also wrote about something we've been explaining to many Portland homeowners: net metering. This is a program that essentially allows homeowners with solar powered homes to sell their excess energy back to the "grid".

Oregon is currently in the top 10 states in terms of solar and wind power use. It's no wonder! We have great incentives that reduce upfront costs and increase the return on investment for Oregon homeowners.

Click to learn more about solar incentives and to find out if you are a good candidate for solar power.

Click to read Governor Kulongoski's article.

Hello World! Excited to Start Our Blog!

2010-03-31T07:07:00.000-07:00

Hello World!

This is the first blog post for Hometown Exterior Designs. I'll start off with a little about us. We're a siding contractor based in Vancouver, Washington serving the Vancouver and Portland, Oregon areas. We pride ourselves in working where our clients live, venturing to Battleground, Banks, Seaside, Salem and everywhere in between! Our motto is "we work where you live"!

We specialize in siding and offer vinyl siding, cedar siding, acrylic siding, fiber cement siding (Hardie Plank) and LP siding replacement. We also do custom decks, roofing, stone work, home solar power, and we just added sun room installation and construction to our repertoire.

Can't wait to start updating out blog a lot! In the meantime, check us out at Hometown Exterior Designs in Vancouver. See you all soon!