Category: Vinyl Siding
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Jan
31

City of Kettering Announces Neighborhood Pride Winners

The City of Kettering has announced the 2011 Neighborhood Pride Winners. From Issue #4, 2011 Kettering magazine; “Remember when it was sunny and warm and the flowers were in full bloom? Well, these folks do because the City recognized them for their beautifully maintained properties.”

Mike Sikora’s Dayton Home Improvement Center helped beautify one of the winning homes. Bill Duffy & Yvette Donahue-Duffy of 1900 Culver Avenue in Kettering asked Mike Sikora to help with the old wooden side panels that were making their home an eyesore. Mike replaced the wood with Mastic Quest T-3 premium vinyl siding. You can see the amazing transformation here.

Mike Sikora’s Dayton Home Improvement Center also installed Mastic Pro-Tech Plus soffit to the overhang areas of the Duffy home including the front porch ceiling. The trim, gables, and porch railing were also upgraded.

Mike Sikora took pleasure in working on this project – “It was a pleasure to work with Bill and Yvette, and I’m so happy for them that their home was selected for the Neighborhood Pride award.”

For more information on Kettering Neighborhood Pride, visit the ketteringoh.org website.

Jun
17

Mike Sikora's Dayton Home Improvement Receives Elite Contractor Certification

Mastic Elite Contractor LogoMike Sikora’s Dayton Home Improvement Center, Inc. has been awarded the Certificate of Elite Contractor by Mastic Home Exteriors.

Mastic Home Exteriors is the premier brand in the Ply Gem family of building products, specializing in Vinyl and Aluminum Siding and Accessories, Performance Metals®
Designer Accents™ – Exterior Shutters, Mantels, Casings, Moldings, Corner Posts, Vents, Blocks and Columns.

Of the hundreds of thousands of Home Remodeling and Restoration Contractors across the U.S., only 376 have been awarded Master Elite Contractor in the program’s 2 year history.  Only 51 have been awarded in the tri-state area.

Candidates for Mastic Elite Contractor certification are nominated by regional sales managers from a list of businesses and individuals who meet a specific criteria.

The candidate must:

  • have VSI Certified installers on staff.
  • pass two Mastic designed training courses in a two year period.  Mike received 100% scores on both.
  • have at least five years experience in business selling and installing vinyl siding.  MSDHI has been in business for 38 years.
  • have a Better Business Bureau score of  90 % or better.   MSDHI has a 100% BBB rating.

Once these requirements are verified, all regional sales managers review the candidate and approve the certification.

Congratulations to the staff and crew of Mike Sikora’s Dayton Home Improvement Center, Inc. in receiving the Mastic Elite Contractor Certification.

Mar
03

Dark Vinyl Siding Expresses Young Couple's Style and Individuality.

Dayton Siding

After helping his father scrape and paint the family home on weekends as a kid, Tom Jamison knew that it was something he did NOT want to do when he became a homeowner. “I was convinced that there was a better way to spend those precious weekends than on outside home maintenance,” Tom recalled.  Yet when he and his wife Sue were looking to buy their first home, what did the busy, dual-career couple like best? A wood-frame, English revival style home built in 1927 with its original, wood cedar-plank exterior intact.

“The home was freshly painted in a dark color that set it off from the other homes,” said Tom. “It had great curb appeal and we believed that it would be at least five or six years before we had to do anything with the exterior,” he said.

Imagine the couple’s dismay when the outside paint started flaking off after only two years. “The build-up of lead-based exterior paint over the years made it impossible for new paints to bond to it properly. We knew the time had come to find a long-lasting solution for our home’s exterior,” said Tom.

The couple wanted to preserve the look that attracted them to the home in the first place – a cedar-grain texture exterior with the charm and distinction of a dark color. Yet when various contractors came in to discuss the project, none would recommend nor guarantee a dark-color vinyl exterior.

How Demographics Affect Color Choices

Vinyl Siding Options“Young” Color Choices

A little out of the ordinary and individualistic.

Vinyl Siding Options“Baby Boomer” Color Choices

Influenced by their parents’ choices but also asserting their own tastes.

Siding Options“Mature” Color Choices

Been there, done that, “settled down: consumers.

Source: Pat Verlodt, Color Designer for Alcoa Building  Products and owner of Color Services and Associates, Inc.

“We were advised not to go with a dark color because of the problem of fading. We heard the horror stories of color changes and contractors would not guarantee that the deep color would be there ten years from now,” said Tom. “Also, our parents were skeptical about a dark color and urged us to go with a lighter one saying we would have to live with that color for a long time,” he added.

Dayton Vinyl Siding Options

Then Mike Sikora of Dayton Home Improvement Center, Inc., introduced the couple to the Mastic QUEST3 Series of vinyl siding that had been recently expanded with new dark colors.

As a consumer products manufacturer, Alcoa has to be alert to the changing color preferences of succeeding generations. According to the company’s color consultant Pat Verlodt, younger couples, such as the Jamison’s, see color as a way of expressing their individuality. “Their color preferences are not going to be the ordinary ones,” she said. “The color choices of younger consumers are going to be more individualistic and not the ones favored by parents, older friends and relatives.

“Adding dark colors to the Mastic QUEST3 Series is Alcoa’s response to the way that changing demographic trends in the general population are affecting consumer color preferences,” Pat said. (See “How Demographics Affect Color Choices”.)

While both Tom and Sue agreed the dark green vinyl exterior was their favorite, the couple still wanted reassurance that color fading wouldn’t be a problem they would be facing in later years.

“They really liked the QUEST3 Pine Needle dark green because it best matched the existing exterior, not only in color but with a natural, cedar plank look,” said Sikora. “What really gave the homeowners peace of mind was that the Alcoa name was behind the fade resistant guarantee of the Mastic V.I.P. Lifetime-Limited Warranty,” he said.

Mastic quality begins with its exclusive Duranyle formulation which enhances durability by making siding more resistant to cracking, impact and thermal distortion. The compound provides uniform color all the way through the panel so scratches and nicks don’t show. To this, Mastic adds the right performance-enhancer modifier to assure toughness and weatherability for all its offerings. Whether it is GELOY®, a high performance polymer from GE Plastics to fight against fading of standard dark colors, Kynar® to protect new dark color choices, or an acrylic film for natural cedar-look products, Mastic guarantees the beauty and durability of its products for years to come.

Mastic QUEST3 also incorporates the T3Lok® System with its tornado tough nail hem, extra panel rigidity in three critical areas and a wider, stronger and more positive siding locking system for exceptional performance.

“After the job was completed, neighbors, friends and family all complimented us on the dark color choice and the distinctive appearance of the house,” said Tom. “A passing motorist even stopped and asked us who the manufacturer of our siding was because he wanted to use it for a historic home renovation project,” he said.

The couple now spends its much anticipated weekends with things other than exterior home maintenance. “Cold water from the hose washes it clean and the vinyl trim and accessories make the outside virtually maintenance free. That is the way it should be,” said Tom.

Jan
26

Exterior Advantage Magazine Chooses Dayton Home Improvement

Exterior Advantage Cover

The quiet, suburban qualities of Kettering, Ohio, belie its active history of invention and industry. Named for Charles A. Kettering, inventor of the electric starter for cars, the area has fostered a great number of industrial innovations – from the cash register to the flip-top can.

Nestled on land that once was the Kettering farm, a charming custom-built, two-story home is the latest site of innovation and invention. As one of the first homes to receive the new look and exterior protection of Mastic’s newest vinyl siding product – QUEST3 Series Premium Vinyl Siding – the house proves a fitting showcase for the innovative product and the quality workmanship of a local installer.

The rambling home, built in 1953, featured wide, painted cedar lap siding just right for the character of the home, but weather and moisture conditions would prove to be its downfall. The home is nestled in a small valley with natural springs, and so much moisture and deep shade that the wood siding suffered from severe mildew that ruined every paint job.

When owners Dean and Lynda Pingrey bought the home in 1985 the house needed extensive remodeling, including new electrical and plumbing. “Every year we invested in a major exterior improvement-windows, roof, roof vent, gutters, down spouts,” says Dean. “But the wood siding was a constant battle, not a ‘fix-it-and-forget-it’ situation.”

“It was always nasty looking,” Lynda says. “The paint would crack and peel, and there was no way to wash it or remove the stains. Even after a thorough paint job, the mildew stains would leach through again. So we began to see that vinyl siding was the logical answer,” Lynda continues. “Besides its nice, clean look, it promises to eliminate the problem.”

Before and After

Before: (at left) Severe mildew ruined every paint application on this 1953 home. After Detail: (at right) Careful attention to detail, like Mastic fluted corner moldings and window trim, and the cedar texture, provide the rich dimensions that help this QUEST3 Series premium siding application stand out from the competition.

SELECTING A CONTRACTOR

The Pingreys entertained presentations from four recommended installers and inspected other homes completed by prospective contractors. Based on his presentation and the excellent quality they found in his work, the Pin greys selected Mike Sikora’s Dayton Home Improvement Center, Inc. to install Mastic’s newest premium vinyl siding.

With 25 years experience remodeling and renovating older homes, Mike Sikora says exterior siding is his favorite type of job. “I do kitchens, baths, and vinyl decks and patio enclosures, but siding produces the most dramatic effect for the homeowners,” Sikora explains. “I love seeing the before and after shots.”

Did he have any doubts about trying the new Mastic QUEST3 Series premium vinyl siding? “Siding generally represents 30 to 35 percent of my business,” Sikora explains. “So I can’t waste time selling a product that gives negative results or is not completely backed by the manufacturer. Mastic stands behind its products and puts a lot of effort into new products. I didn’t hesitate to try the new QUEST3 Series product on the Pingrey home.”

Sikora says more than 70 percent of his business comes from referrals and prior customers, so his reputation is key to maintaining an active business. “The new QUEST3 Series siding impresses me and it is already selling for me.”

THE CUSTOM HOME CHALLENGE

The Pingrey’s 3200 square-foot home held many challenges for Sikora, though. “This was not an average job,” he says. “There were lots of ins and outs, a steep roof with many angle cuts, dormers and multiple levels to deal with.”

There were also 31 windows to trim out. “We tried as much as possible to match the existing look of the windows and the brick mold trim,” Sikora says. “It was labor intensive, but the results are worth it.” Sikora used Alcoa Alumalure 200Q painted trim sheet for the extensive custom trim work.

The Pingreys selected the Mastic QUEST3 Series double 4-inch vinyl siding panel in Victorian Grey to complement their newer roof. “It is a bit different from white, but the grey is not too extreme, and it is a good background for the landscaping,” Lynda says. They especially liked the cedar texture that complements the New England style of the home.

The new QUEST3 Series premium vinyl siding comes in a palette of 12 colors plus Mastic’s four exclusive cedar graining treatments. The new product line also includes a double 5- inch profile and a double 4 1/2-inch Dutch Lap profile to suit different architectural styles.

“I don’t know of a better looking panel,” Sikora says about Mastic’s new QUEST3 Series premium vinyl siding. Sikora also used QUEST3 Series panels on his own garage and is including a new QUEST Series product display in his showroom. “My installers are asking me to sell more of the new product because it is so easy to hang.”

To complete their home’s renewal, the Pingreys picked Mastic Dark Spruce shutters, beaded soffit, gable vents and fluted corner trim. Lynda and Dean were very pleased with the result. “We had at least 20 people, complete strangers, stop and ask about the house while the siding was being installed,” Dean says. “They were all impressed with the new look of the house and asked about the color, the manufacturer and the installers.”

A NEW PRODUCT UNVEILED

NEW EXCLUSIVE CEDAR COLORS FOR QUEST3 SERIES™ PREMIUM VINYL SIDING - Quest3 Series premium vinyl siding features four new exclusive graining treatments. Mastic's exclusive process for achieving a rich natural stained cedar look results in an attractive, long-lasting design alternative to real cedar. The new grained cedar colors, as well as the other 12 colors of Quest3 Series siding, carry the Mastic VIP Limited Lifetime Warranty.

NEW EXCLUSIVE CEDAR COLORS FOR QUEST3 SERIES™ PREMIUM VINYL SIDING - Quest3 Series premium vinyl siding features four new exclusive graining treatments. Mastic's exclusive process for achieving a rich natural stained cedar look results in an attractive, long-lasting design alternative to real cedar. The new grained cedar colors, as well as the other 12 colors of Quest3 Series siding, carry the Mastic VIP Limited Lifetime Warranty.

Several features give Mastic QUEST3 Series siding the “clean, crisp” look homeowners like, and the easy handling contractors want. ‘The panel is rigid and easy to handle for _the installers, and the locking system snaps in nicely for a good, straight look on the house,” Sikora says.

The new QUEST3 Series premium vinyl siding features Mastic’s exclusive T3 System” that results in a panel that is 200 percent more rigid than standard vinyl siding. The T3 System includes a full 3/4-inch return and a 3/4-inch lap, along with a tough double nail hem that holds the panel so securely it is rated to withstand winds up to 190 miles per hour.

Added performance is achieved with Mastic’s exclusive T3Lok™. The lock is a heftier version of the original T-lok® design made famous by Mastic T-Iok®Barkwoods’ premium vinyl siding, an industry favorite for 30 years. When this locking feature is combined with the 3/ 4-inch return and 3/ 4-inch lap, and topped with the reinforced nail hem, the result is easy handling and extra rigidity. Mastic calls it “Tri-Linear Rigidity.” The effect on the house is straighter lines and superior, longer lasting on-the-wall performance.

QUEST3 Series premium vinyl siding has many other features that have marked Mastic’s quality and innovation over the years. It is made of Duranyls; a color-clear-through compound that hides scratches and nicks, and gives superior weathering and fade resistance. QUEST3 Series panels also feature GELOY®resin, manufactured by GE Plastics. The resin provides UV protection to maximize fade resistance and minimize the effects of weather. Other impact modifiers added to the compound give Mastic QUEST3 Series premium vinyl siding extra strength and crack resistance.

COME HOME TO CUSTOMER SATISFACTION

While the product is an important part of the job, the installation is critical to the homeowner’s overall satisfaction. “They were wonderful,” Lynda says about the installers who hung the siding. “It was a delight. They were knowledgeable and very courteous. I’m especially impressed by how meticulous they were about cleaning up each day,” Lynda says. “The quality of the people and the workmanship was above and beyond my expectations. The whole experience was great.”

The results are “absolutely beautiful,” according to Lynda. She’s even a little embarrassed as she notes her home has details that are far superior to other siding installations. “Our neighbors couldn’t believe how good the job looks,” Lynda says. “Our neighbor from New England told us she feels like she’s back home again, the house looks so good.” ~ EA

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