Siding offers many benefits to you as a homeowner.

• Unmatched beauty and versatility with a wide range of styles, colors, textures and options for accessories.
• Durability and Maintenance. Iossi siding is fade-resistant, designed to resist the negative effects of sun, heat, cold, wind, while keeping it's initial beauty. While wood rots, spits and can suffer from insect damage, brick and stone are subject to mortar crumbling and inevitable replacement, while vinyl siding and all the coordinating trim, soffit, posts, and accessories never needs painting, is dent and scratch resistant, and easily cleaned with a garden hose and mild detergent. Maintenance is simplified, allowing you more time to enjoy your home and less time working on it's upkeep..
• Excellent Quality and Value, with a low initial installation cost, you are gaining a tough exterior that comes with a warranty and is easy to maintain while increasing it's resale value.
• Investment and Payback. Vinyl siding is more durable and less of a hassle than wood, more affordable than brick or stone, and offers years of low or no maintenance. Homeowners who continue living in their home often recover nearly 100% of the project cost when they do resell, making it one of the best returns on a home improvement project.



• Environmental Impact: With more manufacturers working to reduce waste and improve energy efficiency, the right siding can help you reduce your carbon footprint on the environment. The low maintenance feature means you save more than time and money, you also avoid releasing toxic chemicals into the environment from painting or using harsh solvents. There are no materials to replace, no paint chips to dispose of, no brushes to clean. Vinyl siding is built to last, making it a sustainable choice with a lifetime expectancy. Many of the products offered by Iossi are "Certified Green", which means they have been third party certified to deliver on the claims they are making.

One very important factor in selecting you siding is to make sure that it is Certified Siding. The Vinyl Siding Institute (VSI) is the trade organization of the vinyl siding industry. VIS sponsors a program to certify the quality of vinyl and polypropylene siding, ensuring they are verified through an independent quality control agency, Architectural Testing, Inc. (ATI) of York, PA, to meet or exceed the industry standard of quality, ASTM D3679 and ASTM D7254. This is achieved through twice yearly, unannounced plant inspections, product testing and quality review. The VIS product certification also includes a third party verification for vinyl siding color retention.

Iossi is a certified Vinyl Siding Installer. Through the Vinyl Siding Institute's Certified Installer Program experienced professionals receive thorough training on proper, industry-approved vinyl siding installation techniques. VSI's certification process involves a combination of classroom training, hands-on instruction, and a written test given by a VSI Certified Trainer. It is important to note that the quality of the installation is just as important as the quality of the product you select.

Look for these labels to ensure your siding is certified by VSI.

When selecting your siding, consider options:

• Strength. While many people think that the thickness of the panels are what makes them durable, the truth is that it is HOW the panels were designed that determine their strength.
  • Nail Hems: a nail hem locks one siding panel to another and allows the panel to be nailed into place, this provides additional wind load and tear off resistance to each panel.
  • A single Nail Hem, offers adequate attachment and is found on economy panels

  

  • Partially curled Nail Hems: found on better panels, these strengthen and reinforce the areas most prone to breaking under negative wind load.

    

  • Full Roll Over Nail Hems: found on premium panels and offers the strongest attachment. The thickness of the entire upper hem is doubled, dispersing pressure all the way around in negative wind load.

    

• Upper and Lower Locks: designed to create stronger interlocks between the panels, they work in tandem with the nail hems. An important aspect to your siding is the "Projection" or how far the panel projects from the wall. The bigger - or taller - the projection the better because it provides more area to interlock the panels together and creates more shadow line, adding to it's visual appeal.
• Larger channel locks: The biggest and the best - they help the panels run straighter on the wall, the locks literally snap in creating a stronger interlock so panels stay tight under high wind pressure. More complexly designed locks offer increased interlocking strength and act like a beam. The higher end products are even more sophisticated, dramatically stronger and keep panels even straighter.



• Bottom Lock - return legs - reinforced curls: the bottom lock and return leg are basically the same thing, they increase the strength of the panel and attachment points even more. The extra curls act as guides that allow the panels to lock in more easily.

When you are considering factors like wind resistance, please keep in mind that the MPH rating for most panels meets the VSI certification standards, but how much winds MPH ratings are only part of the picture. Wind creates a 'negative pressure' around your house, depending on factors like your topography, how tall your house is, etc.; and it is this aspect that can creep behind your panels and tear them off. Providing a strong steady support for your panels to hang on to is the reason why nail hems, locks, etc. are so important. So when you are considering which siding to purchase, be sure to look at the components that were engineered to keep the panels tight to your home.

You want your siding to retain it's beautiful luster for years down the road. While most siding these days are engineered to resist heat, cold, sun and rain, not all panels are created equally, so check the testing involved. The better the panel, the more rigorous the testing. Check for formulation pigment technologies where the color stays deep and vibrant all the way through and not just on the surface or underside.

Extreme Weather performance testing also pertains to the color factor, so it is worth noting along with checking to see if the claims were third party or independent party tested, what types of testing were done, where the testing took place, conditions involved, etc. and what the results were.

Color retention is another certification offered by VSI, and requires actual outdoor weathering studies to be conducted for every color a manufacturer is considering. Each color must demonstrate the ability to resist major changes over time in a variety of climates.

There are many types of siding to consider, however appearance is only part of the equation. Iossi understands the area and has been providing quality siding for a very long time - long enough to know what works for our climate and environment. However, in keeping with the premise that an informed consumer makes better choices, we wanted to encompass all the types of siding available, and not just the ones that we recommend for our locale. Please feel free to contact Iossi if you have any questions.

• Metal siding is available in aluminum and steel. Strengths include durability though aluminum can dent and steel can rust. Metal siding is available in various styles, even those that mimic the look of wood. This siding is best for non corrosive, environments and is not suitable for salt air environments. Maintenance can be low if installed in a proper environment and by a professional. One key benefit is that metal siding is fire resistant. Steel siding is available in a seamless installation and is eco-friendly (made from recycled steel). Complete Soffit and trim packages are available to enhance curb appeal. Paint is difficult unless the paint contains a paint-compatible PVC coating.

  

• Wood Siding can be painted or stained virtually any color but requires vigilant maintenance and can be costly to install. Wood siding, like most wood products is susceptible to wood rot and insect damage. While it is natural looking, it is also flammable unless treated with a flame retardant. This siding comes in a variety of styles, including clapboard, shakes, shingles and vertical boards.

  i

• Engineered Wood Siding; a combination of wood materials with glue to form boards and panels, offers dimensional stability and strength. Like wood siding, this will require regular painting and sealing to avoid deterioration and product separation. It is also susceptible to wood rot and insects. Because it is engineered the grain textures are uniform and does not offer the authentic appearance of real wood.

  

• Vinyl Siding/PVC Siding: The number one seller for siding. Made from Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) this is an affordable and virtually maintenance free siding that offers a range of looks, including Dutch-lap, straight, board and batten, beaded, shakes, shingles and even stone veneers. With a great payback on your initial investment, soffit and trim packages extend the product and pull the full look together. Strengths include durability, lowest install cost, high rate of return on investment, maintenance free, a wide spectrum of colors available, multiple profiles that mimic the natural look of wood siding, lap boards, beaded, board and batten, shakes, shingles scallops, fish scales, half clove, hexagon and more. This siding is NOT susceptible to rot or insect damage. So flexible that it can be used with virtually any architectural style - including historic renovations, and usually backed by a lifetime warranty. This is the only exterior cladding that offers both a third-party product certification and certified installer program. It outperforms most exterior cladding including brick in almost all life cycles states for environmental and economic performance. Weaknesses include some susceptibility to fading in harsh light conditions and dark colors in wider profiles are not always available.

  

• Stucco Siding is a cement mixture formed with water and materials like sand and lime, then trolled over a wire mesh backing covering the home's facade. Synthetic stucco is a system that features a polymer/cement topcoat on top of a foam board that is then attached to the side of the house. These can be a bit tricky and need to be installed by experienced technicians with sufficient inspections to ensure proper installation and moisture management in order to avoid significant problems. Stucco siding can be tinted at the time of installation. It is durable and long lasting but may require cracking repairs. It is fire and insect resistant and offers flexibility to complex architectural design, though it is usually limited to certain architectural styles. Stucco has the possibility of cracking over time and can cause moisture problems on the underlying structure if not properly constructed which is why it requires professional and experienced installation. It will require regular painting.

  

• Fiber Cement siding is a combination of sand, cement, wood fiber and bonding additives. It does not shrink or expand much, does not rot and resists both moisture , insects and pests. Appearance is similar to real wood in a wide range of styles such as shakes and lap siding and accepts paint well. It is fire resistant and available in primed and pre-painted. It is more expensive than vinyl products, and is quite heavy -adding thousands of pounds to a typical house. The warranty is limited and usually pro-rated and may require removal of existing siding. Seams will require caulking and periodic re-caulking to prevent water damage. If the finish is not maintained it can absorb moisture, crumble and delaminate. Over time, nails can loosen and panels may lift away from the walls. It may require special cutting tools and respirators to prevent inhaling toxic silica dust and has limited insulation properties or R-factor.

  

• Cedar Shingles are made of natural cedar but require less maintenance than wood clapboard. Peeling can be minimized by selecting stain instead of paint, or may be left to weather to a natural grey patina. Installation may be costly. They offer a long life, are eco friendly, but like wood thy are susceptible to rot and inset damage, though at a slower rate. They are flammable unless treated with a flame retardant and have limited R-value for insulation. The are usually limited to specific architectural styles.

  

• Polymer Shake & Shingle Siding: offers the same look of natural cedar with the affordability and ease of installation found with vinyl siding. A thick and durable product that offers a high rate of return on investment, it is virtually maintenance free, and available in a wide spectrum of colors that are resistant to UV fading. Not susceptible to rot or insect damage. Gutters and cedar grain texture replicate the look of real cedar shingles, usually backed by a lifetime warranty. Not paintable if you want to change the color of your home in later years.

  

• Brick and Stone Siding offers an attractive and long lasting siding that is very durable, has no need for painting or staining, is available in a wide range of colors and decorative styles, is fire resistant, as well as being rot and insect resistant. It requires structural foundation support due to its significant weight, and will require professional installation. Mortar joints can deteriorate over time and require maintenance. This can be a costly option.

  

• Brick and Stone Veneer is made from thin slices of real brick and/or stone, or a concrete composite. It offers durability that is comparable to real brick and stone but at a lesser cost. It requires no painting or staining, offers many decorative styles and color combinations, is fire resistant, rot and insect resistant, and does not require additional structural support. Professional installation is recommended, and some maintenance may be required at mortar joints over time. It is not recommended to be used on surfaces with running water.

  

• Insulated Siding is vinyl siding with manufacturer installed rigid foam plastic that is laminated or otherwise attached permanently to the siding. It provides all the beauty, durability and sustainability of vinyl siding with the added benefit of improved energy efficiency and is usually offered in wider widths of six and seven inch. It will provide continuous insulation over the studs of the house, reducing thermal bridging and heat loss, making it possible to add it to the checklist under Energy Star qualified homes -Version 3, can hide subtle bows and dips that are present on most walls, and is virtually maintenance free. It is not susceptible to rot, insect damage or UV fade. This siding also has a complete line of vinyl soffit architectural trim elements that offer a cohesive and designer look. It also offers both a third party product certification and Certified Installer program. It may not offer darker colors in wider profiles, but that is improving with technological advances.

  

For more information, please call us - we are always glad to answer your questions.

As you have learned from the information on this page, choosing the right Installation company is just as important as choosing the right product for your home and environment. The right contractor will be able to guide your choices, consider your budget, and will know the locale and be familiar with the various types of structures in your area. They will be able to provide you with information and back up their workmanship and products.

Iossi meets all those important points, and is a Preferred and Certified Installer for the products we offer. To top that off, Iossi is a company that truly invests itself in making sure you are satisfied with our products and our workmanship. Being a local based business from the beginning, we have the familiarity necessary to understanding which products, for which structures, are best. And.....if there are ever any issues, you know you are able to reach us without going through different departments found with other companies. We are not just your contractor, we are your neighbor.