We pleased to announce that all of our vinyl siding installers here at Stallmann Construction have been VSI (Vinyl Siding Installer) certified.

Stallmann is one of only two siding installation companies in Arkansas that have such certification. Our siding isntallation crews must participate in a hands-on work shop and pass a test to earn VSI certification.

You can find more information about the certified vinyl siding course at the Vinyl Siding Institute.

It’s a great time to upgrade your windows and doors. By installing energy efficient windows and doors, you not only reduce your monthly energy bill, you can also reduce your tax liability.

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Tax Act (ARRA) of 2009 signed on February 17, 2009 extends tax credits for qualifying energy efficient windows and doors.  Full details of the tax rebate can be found on the Energy Star website, and updates to the ARRA can be found on the IRS Department of Treasury website.

Of course, restrictions apply to the types of energy efficient windows and doors you can use to qualify for the tax credit. The energy efficient windows and doors must have a U-factor and solar heat gain coefficient (SHGC) of less than or equal to .30. If this tech jargon doesn’t make sense, check our out previous article where we explain Energy Star Window Efficiency Ratings.

Our sales team can also help you make sense of these labels. We can help you determine which energy efficient windows and doors qualify for the tax credit and determine your overall savings when you prepare taxes for 2010.

Wow! The rain keeps coming down. When we wrote our blog about the Rainy Season in Arkansas, we had no idea it would be like this. The radar image pictured here has become a common site. So much so that the governor has declared some parts of Arkansas disaster areas as water levels rise and flash floods destroy neighborhoods.

For fortunate families whose homes have evaded the floods, the need for weatherproof windows and doors has never been more apparent. It is times like these when the constant wind and rain bearing down that expose leaks and deficiencies in our homes.

Often times these deficiencies cause more than water leaks. Cracks in windows can lead to lost energy and give unwanted pests an entry point into your home. Defective siding can allow water to penetrate and cause wood rot and mold buildup.

Many problems can be avoided by simply working with a professional window installation company and siding installation company. There are a number of factors to be considered when installing windows and siding that only professionals have the day-to-day experience to take in to account.

We’ve been installing windows and siding for several decades. We know how crazy Arkansas weather can be, and we know precautions to take while installing your windows and siding to avoid deficiencies that lead to lost energy and water leaks during the peak of the rainy season. If problems are becoming apparent with your windows or siding, give us call and we'd be happy to help you out.

 

According to the Department of Energy, Energy Star labeled products can cut your energy bills by up to 30 percent. Most consumers understand this and want to make upgrades to their homes in order to reduce their enegry bills. Yet, with every manufacturer eager to claim Energy Star logos on their products, how can consumers tell the actual energy saving performance that a product stands to offer? 

The National Fenestration Rating Council is an independent agency organized to help consumers quantify thermal performance. If you are considering buying new vinyl windows for your home, you should look for th NFRC label and compare the actual thermal performance ratings of the windows. 

When gauging thermal performance of a window, there are three factors to pay close attention to: 

1. U-Factor
2. Solar Heat Gain Coefficient
3. Visible Transmittance

Condensation Resistance is another important factor, but it doesn't directly relate to energy savings. U-Factor is the rate of heat loss of a window. The lower the U-value, the greater a window's resistance to heat flow and insulating value. Solar Heat Gain Coefficient indicates a window's shading ability. Here again, the lower the window's solar heat gain coefficient, the less solar heat it transmits and the greater shading it produces. Visible Transmittance measures the amount of light that passes through a window. This is important in order to prevent fading in your carpets and furniture. Visible transmittance ranges from 0 (no light) to 1 (all light).

We are happy to answer any questions that you may have about the thermal performance of our vinyl windows. You can contact us by phone, email or comment on this blog. For more information on a window's thermal performance visit the National Fenestration Rating Council.