VSI Certified Installers Bring Out the Best in Your Home

(ARA) - If you're thinking about a makeover for your home this spring, vinyl siding offers a valuable investment for your new exterior. According to "Remodeling" magazine, homeowners who re-side their homes with vinyl typically recover more than 95 percent of the cost when selling their homes.

Vinyl siding's versatility, low-maintenance durability, attractiveness and value have made it the most popular exterior cladding choice for North American homeowners. And with product quality and color retention certified through the Vinyl Siding Institute's (VSI) program, it's not hard to find a great product for your re-siding job. Once you've chosen vinyl siding, however, the most important decision is who installs it.

"Vinyl siding's appearance and performance depend on proper installation," says VSI President Jery Y. Huntley. "Hiring installers who have been trained using industry-approved installation techniques will bring out the best in your home's vinyl siding for years to come. That's why VSI sponsors a certification program for qualified siding installers."

Through the VSI Certified Installer Program, experienced vinyl siding installation professionals must demonstrate knowledge and skills based on ASTM 4756, the industry standard for vinyl siding installation. In order to become certified, candidates must have a minimum of one year of experience installing vinyl siding and accessories, attend VSI's hands-on training course, and pass an examination on correct installation techniques. Candidates with three years or more of experience may qualify to take the examination without the course, and all VSI Certified Installers must apply for recertification to ensure they stay up-to-date on the latest products and practices.

More than 1,200 vinyl siding installers have become certified through the VSI Certified Installer Program since its launch in 2005, making it easier to find a qualified professional in your area.

When you hire a VSI Certified Installer, you can be confident that he or she has the knowledge and skills to:

* Correctly hang siding to allow for normal expansion and contraction and keep the siding straight and secure on the wall.
* Properly prepare the area around doors, windows and other openings to prevent water infiltration.
* Pay attention to the details that will give your home a beautiful appearance that will last over time.

In addition to certifying installers, VSI also offers certification for vinyl siding installation companies that have at least one Certified Trainer or Installer per crew present on each worksite where vinyl siding is being installed, as well as an established program for the ongoing training of installers. Certified Installer Companies must also implement a quality assurance program that has been reviewed and approved as meeting minimum program requirements by the Program Administrator, Architectural Testing, Inc. of York, Pa. Look for VSI Certified Installer Companies later in 2007.

Certified vinyl siding and colors, installed by certified professionals -- that's one reason that nearly twice as many Americans side their homes with vinyl than any other cladding material. Don't trust your home's exterior to just anyone -- use a VSI Certified Installer. Visit www.vinylsiding.org/certifiedinstaller to find a qualified professional in your area.

Courtesy of ARAcontent