The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

vex/' Vitifit.rf xt-Jiwi .v.w* PAGE 19 - PLAINDEALER - FRIDAY, MARCH 18.1983 I H M A FREE BROCHURE ENTITLED "HOW TO GET A GOOD SIDING JOB" is available from Alcoa Building Products, Inc. Experts answer frequently-asked questions about aluminum siding is Your Home Really covered? For nearly a quarter cen­ tury, Alcoa Building Products has been manufacturing high quality, low maintenance alu­ minum siding for America's homes. So it's not surprising that when homeowners have a question about their aluminum siding they turn to Alcoa for the answers. Recently, Charles Gindele, a staff engineer and consumer advisor at Alcoa, provided an­ swers to the questions home­ owners ask most often about aluminum siding. There's a fine dust or "chalk" on my siding. What causes this and is it normal? Oxidation, or "chalking," is a normal process whereby the pigment in siding gradu­ ally breaks down and releases microscopic particles. Siding is designed to oxidize very gradually so, if your siding "chalks" too quickly, you may want to check with your contractor. Oxidation is generally first noticed as a lightening in the color of the house, or when, in brushing against the house, one notices a fine dust on the hands or clothing. There's no way to prevent oxidation--it's a self-cleaning feature of the siding. Homeowners who have older siding can sometimes wash off the chalk and return the siding to its original color. Anyone just having his house sided should be aware that the color will change slightly over the years as the siding oxidizes. Is siding a good insulator? Even an uninsulated siding panel cuts down on air infiltra­ tion through cracks, around doorways and windows and in cornerboards. The air space created by applying an uninsu­ lated siding panel over a wall has an "R " value of about .75. (New home insulation stan­ dards in the north are R-19 for sidewalls, R-30 for attic ceil­ ings.) While .75 is not that high, it is a contribution to­ ward saving energy. Insulated siding panels have an "R" value of between 2 and 3. In addition, homeowners can select from a wide variety of sheathing products, which can be applied under siding, or can have stud spaces blown with an insulating material if the siding is going over wood clapboard. Insulated siding is usually a wise investment as the addi­ tional cost may be recovered in reduced energy usage. If / just moved into an alu­ minum sided home that needs a panel replaced, how can / tell the brand? If you don't know the name of the contractor who applied the siding, you may be able to make some observations that will help you determine the brand. For example: • While most manufactur­ ers make a woodgrain siding, the grains vary from brand to brand and you should be able to tell one from another. • On a smooth, eight-inch wide siding panel, check the thickness of the butt (bottom) edge; it will vary from % to % inch between brands. • A drip bead that deflects water off the surface is a dis­ tinguishing factor. It's gener­ ally located on the face of the panel, at the bottom, where it meets the butt edge. • Weep holes (most siding panels have them on the butt edge) are small openings that allow moisture to escape from behind siding. They vary in size and shape (round, trian­ gular, slotted) from brand to brand. They're also spaced differently--Alcoa, for exam­ ple, has round weep holes every 18 inches. • As a last resort, pry loose a small siding section and look at the color of the protective "wash coat" on the back; also look for a small logo on the back or on the top nailing hem. Can / repaint my alumi­ num siding? Yes--just be sure to prepare the surface for repainting by cleaning it of dirt and oxida­ tion. Any good exterior paint, preferably latex, will do. There's usually no need for sanding or priming. If chang­ ing color, you may need two coats. Though siding is a low- maintenance product, is there something / should do to main­ tain it? It's a good practice to wash down the siding with a deter­ gent solution ('/> cup detergent to three quarts water) once a year. This reduces the possi­ bility of mildew, enhances the appearance and prevents oxi­ dation from staining any nearby brick. A soft brush or sponge should be used to re­ move any dirt or mildew pres­ ent. Do you have any questions about aluminum siding? Alcoa will do its best to answer them. Write for more information to Alcoa Building Products, Inc., Two Allegheny Center, Pittsburgh, PA 152J2 and ask for the free brochure, "How To Get A Good Siding Job." rent soft\ PER MO. NO installation charge NEW fully automatic softeners TWO year option to buy with FULL rental fee deducted ONE phone call can answer any questions 312-259-3393 ARLINGTON SOFT WATER CO. TONY FICK CHUCK LEWANDOWSKI 1308 No. Park, McHenry 385-2304 AMERICAN FAMILY I N S U R A N C E AUTO HOME BUSINESS HEALTH UFE American Family Mutual Insurance Co. Madison, Wis. i Glidden tesm IQVI PRICES OH rMW° FMNUSOMmS**Sal*lata n. .mill 51 luliliHlJit: MdVa i.ului<u Hnsy vVdlei Kltdll up SUdden GALLON •Ml *6.00 Glidden BEST Latex Semi-Gloss Enamel •Resists i|ibiise. ill!. Illumine •Applillb R.isily lints I|UU:KIV •Malijies Spiui Saim culms •l.isy walls item up WE ALSO FEATURE A COMPLETE LINE OF ART SUPPLIES AND PICTURE FRAMING FOX VALLEY ARTS & PAINTS v 1310 RIVERSIDE DR. McHENRY 385-0454 . tr KNOCK WOOD UNFINISHED FURNITURE STORE Dolt Yourself AND SAVE $$$ RICHARDSON ROBINSON S. BENT UNION CITY HARRIS HRS: MON.-TUES. 10-6 WED., THURS. & FRI. 10-8 SAT. 10-5 SUN. 10-4 HUGE DISPLAY -- * Rocking Horses * Bedroom Furniture * Desks * Chairs * Dining Room Tables * Kitchen Tables * Rockers * Children's Furniture * Dividers & Shelving * Many Small Gift Items FINE CRAFTSMANSHIP! SPRING SPECIAL ONE CHAIR FREE WHEN YOU BUY 3 AT REGULAR PRICE 25 STYLES ON DISPLAY PLUS MANY MORE TO CHOOSE FROM (FREE CHAIR MUST BE OF EQUAL VALUE OR LESS)- GOOD THRU 3/31/83 ™LA~ AW'AY'AV AILABLE™"' CONVENIENT LOCATION ON RT. 120, */4 MILE WEST OF RT. 12 VOLO.IL 815/344-4888