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(Please do read the bottom paragraph for latest update)
Since
CRANEBOARD garnered a large market share with its' revolutionary
solidcore system other manufacturers have entered the competitive
field. Alside's newest offering is a very thick foam backed panel
with a double 6 inch profile.
Insulation may substantially reduce energy consumption in any climate.
Prodigy has the thickest insulation of any solid backed vinyl I
have seen. It has an R 5.0 rating! The foam isn't bonded to the
back of the vinyl the way CRANEBOARD's is, but the clever design
locks the foam into place very well. For those homeowners seeking
maximum insulation this is the product for them.
Alsides'
beautiful 6 inch wide reveal gives the home the look of thick cedar
siding. The panel really does look great. It is a double 6 inch
design. It is a long panel at 16' 8" which means fewer seams.
The thick reinforced design should withstand a lifetime of abuse.
It is a very rugged thick vinyl siding panel .050 (thicker than
CRANEBOARD at .046) with a very thick foam panel locked in behind.
Alside offers many classic and contemporary colors complemented
by insulated, color-matched accessories and trim. Alside doesn't
change their colors often which is a good thing for consumers.
The color through permanent finish with authentic, subtle beauty
eliminates scraping and painting forever.
A very nice warranty protects you and the value of your home. (See
printed warranty for complete details.)Alside's warranty is one
of the best and they have great customer service in my experience.
They have a great warranty that covers the siding, the foam, fade,
hail, etc. All the things many warranties won't cover.
I
have just sold one of the first if not the first job in Washington.
The homeowner needed insulation and it was a major concern for him.
When I showed how thick the Prodigy was, it was a simple decision
for him. It will be interesting to see how it installs. I suspect
it will be more difficult than CRANEBOARD because of the thickness.
Prodigy has come up with a very neat system for fitting siding into
tight spots with a two part "J" channel system which will
come at a higher installation cost along with the bigger trim pieces,
but it shows Alside has put some serious thought into their newest
offering. I'll know soon about the difficulty factor for installing
this product.
UPDATE:
It turns out that we have installed the first Prodigy job in WA
state. The siding is nice to install It is a stacking system unlike
traditional vinyl sidings which "hang". Because of the
stacking system it will never blow off a house and you never have
to worry about the top panel working loose. Taking a panel off is
much more difficult but not impossible. The long panel looks superb
and it has a very low gloss finish.
Upon
close inspection of the warranty this is a great siding warranting
the foam as well as the siding for a lifetime, and it carries a
3 Hunter unit fade warranty for life. That is basically guaranteeing
no fade for 50 years what-so-ever as 3 Hunter units is extremely
hard to detect.
So far, this product has exceeded our expectations in some ways
and been disappointing in others. The corners are longer than normal
with a very nice custom offset design. They detail well with fewer
seams. The "J" channel is wider and quite strong making
for a very nice finished appearance around windows and doors.
Further
Update (2006): We have now put up a number of Prodigy jobs and have
had to replace quite a few panels on several jobs so far from buckling.
The foam is not bonded to the siding making it a bit more difficult
to install and sensitive to buckling (oil canning). It is a stacking
design where each panel stacks instead of hangs from nails. The
concept is very interesting and would seem to have promise. The
problem now may be that the foam is too narrow allowing the unsecured
vinyl exterior to buckle. I am not an engineer, but that seems to
be a possible explanation. For now we have stepped back from what
seemed a viable competitor to Craneboard. Keep in mind my problems
may not apply to other people. It is possible the material delivered
that proved defective may have been limited to my area. I really
have no way of knowing how the rest of the nation is faring.
It
has been disappointing to me because Alside has always been one
of our best suppliers. Their representatives, service, products
and warehouse operation have been first class for many years. I
have faith they will work hard to figure out the cause of the problem
and fix it. Historically Alside have always been an innovative company.
When you dare to be an industry innovator, you also enter some unknown
territory and take risks that other companies often are not be willing
to do.
Perhaps
2007 will "debug" the product and bring out the full potential
of a creative new product.
11-06
Alside has not waited until 2007. Their panel is now "bonded
to the foam backer". This should be a major improvement in
the panels rigidity. Also they have ceased using the 4 foot wide
drop in foam in favor of full length pieces. The company had recently
argued against bonding to the foam panels, but all is forgiven.
I, and many others, feel this is a better way to go. We like a home
to feel solid. YEAH!!!
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