Our business concept has remained remarkably simple through the years: quality products yield quality results. What separates ABC Seamless from our competitors is the superior quality of our products. Instead of vinyl or other types of materials, we only use steel siding, steel roofing, steel gutters, and steel soffit and fascia.

ABC Seamless only has to do a job once because we do it right and we do it with steel. Both our seamless steel siding and our seamless steel roofing have time tested durability – much like ABC Seamless. ABC Seamless created the seamless steel siding industry 36 years ago in Fargo, ND and began expanding across the nation in 1978.

The mission of ABC Seamless is to create value for homeowners through their products. Imagine never having to paint the house or never worrying about leaky gutters. We are the industry experts and our expertise will give you peace of mind throughout the process of an exterior home remodel. ABC Seamless continues to grow because people know that they are getting a durable, quality product every time they call the duck at 1-800-732-6577.

Find out more about ABC Seamless Products by clicking on the links or visiting ABCSeamless.com
Seamless Steel Siding
Seamless Steel Gutter Systems
Seamless Steel Roofing
Like us on facebook www.facebook.com/ABCSeamless
Follow us on twitter @abcseamless
Watch our YouTube channel at http://www.youtube.com/user/abcseamless

ABC Seamless would like to create a win-win with you. We can help you and your family re-locate to a place with plenty of work. We are looking for people with Siding Installation experience or a strong carpentry background. We can put you to work right away. Come. Take a look at some of the other job openings within our organization: ABC Seamless Employment Opportunities.

If it is time to redesign the look of your home, consider mixing materials on your project. Our Color Tool will let you experiment with new color combinations and many local ABC Seamless franchise offices offer our unique Home Design Service.

Ice dams are ridges of ice that form at the edge of a roof, preventing melting snow from draining off the roof. Melting occurs when warm air from indoors escapes through the attic and melts snow on the roof. That water can then leak into homes, damaging walls, ceilings and insulation. According to the University of Minnesota Extension Agency, summer is the best time to prevent ice dams – by increasing the ceiling insulation to cut down on heat loss, making ceilings airtight and/or adding natural roof ventilation. Plugging leaks and adding insulation can reduce energy use in homes by 20 to 30 percent.

For homeowners currently contending with ice dams – or who are looking to avoid their formation – the BBB recommends using a snow rake to remove excess snow from the roof. However, even if care is taken, roofing materials may be damaged in the process. It is not advisable to get up on your roof to remove snow. Many people are injured each year trying to deal with this problem on their own. Sometimes it’s best to leave things to professionals.

Before hiring a company to break up ice dams on your roof, here are some things you should do first:

• Check out the company’s record with the BBB at www.bbb.org or by calling 1-800-646-6222.
• Make sure the company has insurance and their workers are covered under workers’ compensation.
• Get estimates from multiple companies.
• Ask how much experience each company has working on roofs and ice dams, as well as what techniques they’ll be using to remove the ice dams. Less intrusive techniques may reduce potential damage to your roofing.
• Watch out for someone who pulls up in a truck and tells you they can ‘save you some money.’ Your roof is an integral part of your home and it’s not something you want to cut corners on. You’ll often end up regretting it.

For more information on ice dams, how they’re formed and how to avoid them, visit http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/housingandclothing/dk1068.html.

• Impact resistant roofing products are more resistant to hail, flying depris and high winds than non-impact resistant roofing products. Some are warranted by the manufacturer against wind up to 130 mph.
• You may be eligible for an annual discount on your homeowners insurance premium for the life of the roof.²
• If you sell your home, the new owner may be eligible for a homeowners insurance discount, which can be a good selling point.

For a complete list of qualifying products, go to: Roofing: Premium Credits Product List. Contact your State Farm agent for more information.

¹ Reduction of your homeowners insurance premium depends on your state of residence. Some restrictions may apply. Follow the link above for a list of qualifying states.
² For qualifying metal roofs, a cosmetic damage exclusion is required to receive the discount.

[Mr. Stockstad]
We’ve had two homes with steel siding before, actually three. We’re familiar with ABC Seamless so, we call them. We’re very please with it. We’re very happy with the crew that put it on cuz they—I was here all the time and if it didn’t fit it was done over. No, they did a good job—we’re pleased.

What they told us now is that they don’t change colors. If this were to damage ten years from now, they’d replace it. They’ve been around a long time, they’ve got a good reputation.

[Mrs. Stockstad]
We’ve had experience with ABC Seamless—- all they’ve done before.

[Mr. Stockstad]
Yeah—- we stick with the professionals.

[Ann]
You heard from the customers, NOW see it on your home. Visit the online showroom at ABC Seamless dot com… and call today for ABC Seamless steel siding.

[ Announcer ]
The major factor that sets us apart is that your entire home will be sided without any ugly seams. That’s why we’re SEAMLESS. Other siding must be overlapped every 12 feet, creating a pattern of at least 130 ugly seams on an average size house. But each ABC piece of ABC Seamless steel is formed and cut to the exact length of your home, eliminating the seams. And just look at the difference between a home sided with vinyl, and a home with ABC Seamless Steel Siding.

[ Announcer ]
With ABC Seamless Siding your worries are over. You can create a completely new look for your home that will last forever and impress your friends and neighbors.

Why use steel siding? According to the manufacturers ABC Seamless and Norandex, it is a little bit more expensive at the get go, but it will last longer than vinyl. It will not rust or show other signs of decay. It can be painted as your interests change. One can pretty much count on it lasting the life of the home, a deal you can hardly pass by. In 2004, “Remodeling Magazine” reported that 90% of residing costs will be recovered upon resale of your home.

Right now, trying to finance your home may be a bit difficult, but the lending agency may be more likely to lend the extra costs for seamless steel siding because of the durability of the siding and the extended value of your home because of it. Your home will be worth more for a longer period of time with this type of siding, so go for it.

Seamless steel siding is not something that is pre-measured somewhere and then brought to your home and installed, at least not by reputable contractors. You will be able to watch them measure the siding right there and make the cut that they need to run the full distance of the house. There are no seams, no gaps, and no room for error due to early mistakes in measuring. People who are installing seamless steel siding are highly trained professionals who care about their work, care about your home and how it looks in the present, and care about how your home will last in the years to come.

ABC Seamless—
Better Siding, Better Installation, and a Better Warranty

Cool metal roofing has gained a lot of popularity in recent years because it is proven to reduce cooling and heating energy usage, sometimes up to 40% in certain geographical regions. What’s more, many regional utility companies are interested in cool metal roofing because it can help reduce peak demand in the afternoon hours of summer months – be certain to ask your local utility company about possible discounts and tax breaks.

And you have choices between reflective, highly emissive cool metal roofs, pre-painted, granular coated, unpainted, and more. For homes in regions where the summers are more extreme, certain brands of cool metal roofing can not only deflect heat absorption in the attic, but also re-emit most solar radiation up to 90%! The benefits mean more money in your wallet for other home upgrades, reduced dependence on energy resources, and a contribution to the larger issue of air pollution.

Tom Black
Executive Director
Metal Roofing Alliance

The Salvation Army serves approximately 4,000 to 5,000 Emporia citizens each year by offering a food pantry, utility and rent payment assistance, vehicle repairs and other needs.

Emporia State University’s recent can drive has filled the pantry, Burris said, but as the Kansas Cold Weather Rule goes out of effect, many Emporia citizens will need help with their past due gas bills.

“Now that we are approaching spring, there will be a great need for utility assistance as shut-off notices will be given and utilities [are] in danger of being shut off,” Burris said.

On March 13, New Dimension Products of Emporia, Inc., will host its first-ever open house fundraiser for the Salvation Army. The fundraiser lunch will include barbecue sandwiches, chips, a drink and dessert for a minimum donation of $1. New Dimension will match all donations.

“We at New Dimension believe in community and the desire to be of help to those of the area who we can be of service to,” said Scott Strahm, owner of New Dimension. “The Salvation Army is on the front line of those in need. We are pleased to be involved with Capt. Burris and his team at the Salvation Army.”

The open house event will be a family-friendly atmosphere, with music, several door prizes, free products, and other entertainment. Children will have the opportunity to pose for pictures with the ABC Seamless duck, and parents can receive a copy of the photo. The event will also kick off New Dimension’s 26th anniversary sale, going on now through the end of March.

Burris said the best way to help right now is to donate funds.

“If the community would like to help, just come on out and support the open house fundraiser with a monetary donation that will be maximized through a dollar-for-dollar match by New Dimension, with all proceeds going to help those in need,” Burris said.

Contacts:
Capt. Jeremiah Burris, Salvation Army, (620)342-3093
Scott Strahm, New Dimension Products of Emporia, Inc., (620) 342-7151

Find the Average Metal Roof Value in Your Area:

The following table shows average values associated with a typical roof renovation of 30 squares of standing seam metal, formed on-site into16-inch panels using factory-enameled roll steel (all seams double-locked) with brake-bent flashing from same material for drip edge and all flashing at roof-wall intersections, a 5-square hip roof with custom flashing at two average-sized skylights, a custom cap treatment, all applied over a new felt underlayment with rubberized asphalt membranes at eaves, valleys and all penetrations.

The Metal Roofing Alliance has many resources that discuss the features and benefits of different styles of metal roofing. Take a look at their page on Cool Metal Roofing.

ABC Seamless has been trusted to protect houses of worship across the country for more than 35 years. Nationwide we have installed seamless steel siding and gutters, and replaced windows for more than 600 churches in 35 States. When the Board of Trustees at Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church asked us to present our services, we sent Steve Kelley to represent our products, and Jim Burgard to represent the installation process.

“The Dazey project was bigger than just a roofing project, the Church was looking at fixing the building to last a lifetime,” said Steve Kelley, the ABC Seamless sales consultant for this project. ABC Seamless addressed the Church’s primary problem by offering a high-performance steel shingle roof that provides protection from hail, fire, wind, snow and rain. Our steel roof is protected by a lifetime, non-prorated limited warranty with hail and fade protection. The color that the members chose also meets EnergyStar performance standards, ensuring that the building will be heated and cooled with maximum efficiency.

ABC Seamless proposed an all-steel exterior for the church for protection and longevity, bringing maintenance-free seamless steel siding and gutters into the discussion. Their EnergyStar siding underlayment insulates the Church from icy winter winds that chill interior walls.

Of the three companies that Philip and the remodeling committee started working with, ABC Seamless and another company put in comparable bids. One of the companies never replied to the bid request. Overall, ABC Seamless was best prepared to take care of all the project specifications for the Church in Dazey and was granted the work.

“It was important that the remodeling was completed before our 125th Anniversary celeration. The installers really put in some long days,” said Philip. The Church project was completed in plenty of time for the celebration. “Everyone is very happy with the final look.” It wasn’t long before word spread throughout the area and members of other Churches came to see the work.

Contact us today for a no-obligation quote for your home or place of worship. If you’re ever near Dazey, we welcome you to visit Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church.

It was in early April of this year when Grace had come upstairs to wake Mike after seeing something strange on the patio. She had been letting the cats out when she saw a thin grey square of carbon fall like a leaf to the lawn. The couple had enjoyed a fire in the fireplace earlier and the cedar trim surrounding the fluke exhaust caught fire. As the fire moved toward the roof, it was starved for oxygen by the seamless steel surround. While the siding didn’t entirely choke out the fire, it delayed the spread of the fire long enough that the fire department was able to easily extinguish it when they arrived.

The Weiss home sustained only $15,000 in damage which was paid primarily by their insurance. More importantly, Mike and Grace saved their belongings and their lives. “I’m definitely crediting the siding [for saving my house]. It did its job in more ways than one.”

The ABC Seamless franchise network also ranked 5th nationally on QR’s national firms list. “Each year that we receive this recognition is a tribute to the hard workers that we’ve got here, and a reminder that the system is working,” said Jerry Beyers about his Top 500 recognition.

Founded in 1973, ABC Seamless provides seamless steel exteriors, gutters, and replacement windows to Minnesota and North Dakota homeowners.The company also installs steel soffit and seamless steel fascia and metal roofing on residential and commercial buildings. The National Franchise Headquarters is based in Fargo, N.D. ABC Seamless Steel Siding has 111 franchises in 30 states.

ABC Seamless franchises ranking in Qualified Remodeler’s “Top 500”
#92: ABC Seamless of Fargo, ND
#170: Schmidt Siding & Window/ABC Seamless of Mankato, MN
#194: Richard Larson Builders/ABC Seamless of Hutchinson, MN
#269: ABC Seamless of Billings, Billings, MT
#300: ABC Seamless of Cheyenne, WY
#321: Home Specialists/ABC Seamless of Madison, WI
#328: Wrightway, Inc./ABC Seamless of Fond du Lac, Appleton & Germantown, WI
#334: Asher Enterprises/ABC Seamless of Eau Claire, WI
#346: Home Solutions Midwest/ABC Seamless of Albert Lea, MN
#350: ABC Seamless Of Omaha and Central (Wood River) Nebraska
#480: ABC Seamless of Central Montana, Great Falls,MT

In addition to the new effort to recognize superefficient products, the announcement states that the Energy Star products program will be enhanced through expanded coverage, more frequent updates and enhanced efforts on product testing.

Currently, the Energy Star program is co-managed by EPA and DOE.  EPA handles certain product categories and DOE handles others, including the Energy Star windows, doors and skylights program.  With the change, Energy Star windows, doors and skylights will move over to EPA, which will take over responsibility for “marketing, outreach, monitoring and verification, and setting the performance level(s).”

Speaking at an energy efficiency town hall forum held in conjunction with GlassBuild last week, current DOE program manager for Energy Star windows said talks to transition responsibilities would start soon, but he could not yet give a timetable for the change to take effect.

While EPA takes over Energy Star, DOE will manage the National Building Rating Program, “consisting of building test procedures, building rating tools, and consumer-oriented building labels,” the summary explains. “DOE will establish all Federal test procedures for buildings, which will include ‘asset,’ and ‘operational’ characteristics, and benchmark buildings against similar buildings.”  EPA, however, will be the brand manager when the “Energy Star” is applied to ...

To view the rest of this article, originally published in the October 2009 issue of Window & Door magazine, click here: http://www.windowanddoor.com/news-item/government/energy-star-windows-moving-epa

Steel isn’t just for industrial-sized structures, and can be made in any number of colors and textures. Seamless steel siding eliminates the unsightly seams that can allow moisture through, significantly diminishing the possibility of rot. The general public is only just beginning to realize all the wonderful benefits steel over the highly publicized and extremely popular vinyl siding.

The durability of steel far outshines that of vinyl if it’s installed properly. While exposed edges or damage to the paint can leave it vulnerable to rust, proper maintenance can prevent that drawback. Where vinyl is prone to damage from high winds and hail, steel can withstand all but the most severe of these elements. Properly-installed steel siding is almost impossible to pry loose in the wind, no matter if it is gale-force, though larger hailstones may be able to dent the siding or scratch the paint.

If you’re environmentally-conscious, ask your contractor if they use recycled steel for their siding. Much of what is sold for siding today is recycled, thus promoting waste reduction as well as purchasing something that can be recycled whenever it is no longer of any use.

Steel isn’t the cheapest option on the market – in fact, it ranks among the most expensive – but it is well worth the money you put into it. It’s low maintenance, and cleaning is as simple as spraying with water from a garden hose. Especially in areas known for inclement weather, steel will withstand whatever nature throws at it for long-lasting protection and beauty.

For real estate owners looking to sell, the type of siding used on the building can be a high selling point.

Enlarge Image [D]

To learn more about efficient window technologies,
visit the Efficient Windows Collaborative

It’s not a no-strings-attached gift.The couple have put their sweat equity into helping build the house project, and they will pay monthly mortgage payments.But it does come from the hearts of the volunteers, who constructed the home. “The satisfaction for me is giving back to the community, which I didn’t do as much as I wanted to do before retirement,” Rich Chuick said. “Giving back in a way that is church-related — That’s important to me — and in a way that involves children.”

A group of Habitat volunteers along with Sondra Baird, an AmeriCorps/Vista volunteer working for the local Habitat affiliate, talked about the project and their Habitat volunteerism, during a coffee break at the local Habitat headquarters Monday morning. The volunteers, Barnes, Leif, Tilkes, Louis Anthonisen, Bruce Richardson and Chuick, as well as AmeriCorps/Vista Baird, said the Lamaack-Vanderweerd project is on schedule for completion soon. “We’re working on the trim right now around the doors and windows. It’s all coming together,” said Barnes, who has assisted on every affiliate build project. “We will be hanging the cabinets this week, and then install the appliances. The carpet will go down after the dedication.”

Vendors supply much of the materials and assist in big ways, including the excavation for the home’s basement.Suppliers are very generous, according to the volunteers. One example: a $5,000 grant from ProBuild to purchase building materials. Gutters come from ABC Seamless and carpeting from Belita’s Interiors. The cabinets come from MinnCor, the state prison system’s agency and were assembled at the Faribault detention facility, according to Chuick.They were purchased. When the affiliate has to buy materials and equipment, it’s usually at cost or below.

The three-bedroom home is located along an alley that separates it from the three-story Lincoln school building; now an apartment complex. There are seven Habitat houses clustered in Austin’s near northeast side.Before a house is constructed, applicants go through a a thorough screening process before a family is chosen. When that is done, a house plan to suit the family’s specific needs is designed. Then, Baird, the affiliate’s volunteer coordinator, starts recruiting builders. It’s a process duplicated daily around the world by Habitat International. Habitat For Humanity is a nonprofit ecumenical Christian ministry, whose goal is to eliminate poverty housing and homelessness. Habitat invites volunteers to build houses in partnership with families in need.

Since it’s start in 1991, the Freeborn-Mower affiliate has built 28 homes; 18 in Mower County, where the vast majority are located in Austin, the population center of the County, as well as one each in LeRoy and Adams. The affiliate has also undertaken rehabilitation projects.

The Lamaack-Vanderweerd house was constructed on a lot made available by a local realty firm. The work began last June after it was cleared for the new home. Mid-June rain delays were the only impediment along the way. Last August, Bill Kleinegger, retired businessman from New York, who grew up in Austria, rolled into Austin in his motorhome and stayed to assist on the Ninth Street Northeast project. Since 1997, Kleinegger has traveled coast-to-cost assisting Habitat affiliates, building homes for the needy. “For me, I love being useful,” Kleinegger said, during his Austin visit. “I love building.” So did Hormel Foods Corporation corporate employees, who assisted on the Lamaack-Vanderweerd house.

The largest single expense of the house-building work may be the fee charged by the city of Austin: $1,300. There are no breaks from the city for the nonprofit ecumenical Christian housing ministry.

The volunteers genuinely seem to enjoy what they do. Christmas music from a radio was heard Monday in between the ear-piercing sounds of saws, hammers and other tools. “It’s been a good experience,” Anthonisen said of his involvement with the Habitat affiliate. Maybe, the “committee” approach to the work makes it so enjoyable. There’s no “boss” in the affiliate. Everyone works at their own pace contributing in the way they know best.

Dale Akkerman builds the front and rear porch decks at home, then trucks them to the Habitat building sites and attaches them to the homes.“He’s a master craftsman,” Chuick said of the volunteer. Tilkes and Leif are retired Hormel Foods Corporation workers. “It’s a great group of people to work with,” Leif said of his contributions.“It’s not work,” Tilkes said of his. “I enjoy it immensely.”

According to Baird, 70 volunteers have worked on the Lamaack-Vanderweerd project with a core of 10-12 people and an average of 4-8 workers each day. Television’s Extreme Makeover - Home Edition professes to put up a new “dream” home in one or two weeks.Habitat’s volunteers put up homes in months at a time with far less fanfare. Barnes gets emotional when talking about the zealousness of volunteers and his Habitat pride showed when he discussed another popular home-building effort.“The thing that bothers me,” said Barnes, former site supervisor and now project coordinator, “is that they make a big to-do about one family, but our families are getting their dream homes, too, but it’s all low-keyed.” Low-keyed until it’s your home and you’re moving in at Christmastime.

The Lamaack-Vanderweerd present will be opened beginning 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 21.

Rain gutters are open-topped troughs that are installed just below the eaves of your roof to collect and carry off rainwater. Normally they are constructed of metal. Downspouts are connected to the gutters and carry the water down to ground level. The water is then discharged on splash pads on the ground to direct the water away from the foundation. Occasionally the system discharges into a cistern or reservoir to collect the rainwater for subsequent use.

Gutters are shaped to form a specified profile, often a U-Shape (half-round), or a modified rectangular trough which is referred to as K-Shape. They need to be sized for your “worst-case” downpour. Sizes vary from 4 inches to 7 inches in width. Your gutter contractor will be able to recommend the size best suited to your local conditions.

Gutter Materials

The metal stock from which the gutter is formed can be aluminum, galvanized steel, copper, or one of these metals with a metal coating. Specialized materials include copper penny aluminum, Copper Plus (copper plated stainless steel), Galvalume (steel stock with a coating of aluminum and zinc), and lead-coated copper. Often the exterior face is painted, with a wide variety of colors available from which the customer may choose. Seamless gutters made of aluminum are the most common today.

The overall design of a gutter system has a number of different parts. These include the gutter, end caps, corner pieces, drop fittings, downspouts, elbows, and various kinds of hangers and support systems. Metal gutters were originally assembled from sections that were joined together with snap-in-place connectors.

Why Seamless Gutters?

Seams are always possible leak points in a gutter system. These joints may allow water to leak out of the gutter and drip down, possibly damaging the siding, splashing dirt onto the house, or eroding your yard. Seamless gutters virtually eliminate this leakage problem.

Seamless gutters have been available for more than 40 years and are the most common items selected by homeowners today. Seamless gutters are not totally seamless, but there are fewer seams that can create such leak points.

Seamless Gutter Machines

Seamless gutters are formed, at your home, using a special seamless gutter machine. The gutter is shaped from a coil of aluminum, steel, or copper stock that has a baked or painted finish. A wide variety of colors are available to match the paint, siding, brick, or stone color of your house. Each horizontal run of gutter is formed and cut to the exact length required for your installation, thereby minimizing the number of seams or joints. The stock materials from which the gutters are made vary in thickness from 0.019 inch to 0.032 inch. This is a place where attempting to save money is usually a mistake. Buy the heaviest material you can afford-it will last longer and resist damage better.

Advantages and Disadvantages

If you want to undertake constructing the gutter system yourself, your only choice is sectional-type materials. You still have a variety of materials and finish colors from which to select, but you are on your own. You are the designer and installer. If you have the skills required, and the time required, you can save some money over having a contractor install a system.

Most people will probably choose to use a contractor, and with seamless gutters you have a lot less hassle. In addition to the metal gutter materials discussed above, vinyl gutters are available. Vinyl material is the least expensive, but vinyl becomes brittle in very cold weather and is much more likely to crack. Galvanized steel is strong and will usually last 30 years or more. However, sooner or later it will rust. You can protect against this by periodically painting the inside of the gutter, but this adds to your load of home maintenance chores. Aluminum does not rust or crack, and is therefore a popular choice. However, be sure that the gutter material is made from primary aluminum and not secondary aluminum, which is a recycled product and has a history of inconsistent thickness (and therefore strength).

Gutter System Cost

How much are we talking? Vinyl gutters can be installed by a contractor for about $3 to $5 per linear foot. For galvanized steel gutters this goes up to between $4 and $8 per foot. Aluminum gutters will be in the range of $5 to $9 per foot. Copper gutters are most often used for top-of-the-line construction and restoration work. You can expect to pay $15 to $20 per foot for a copper gutter system. The good news is that copper never rusts and does not require paint.

You should also carefully examine the contractor’s warranty for the gutter system. A new shingle roof typically has a warranted life of 20 to 30 years. Your new gutter system should have a warranted life of 20 years or more.

As with most things, you have to decide what your goals are and what you can afford to invest. A moped and a Maserati will both get you from point A to point B, but there is a great difference in the style and grace involved. A careful review of your needs and goals?and some consultation with and quotations from several different contractors?should help you develop a plan that will fulfill your needs and provide a gutter system that will last many years.

Paul’s crews installed Double 5” Cinnamon Siding with Rustic Brown Soffit & Fascia. They were complimented on their efficiency and the quality and appearance of their product by many of the contractors on-site. We’re certainly happy to hear that the homeowner’s are excited to be back in their home, and would like to show you what makes seamless steel siding better than all other options.

Tonya Turvold, a family friend remarked, “Our local area did the siding. ABC Seamless Siding. They did a wonderful job on it and I love that color.”

See more photos and comments on this project at Tonya’s weblog: http://backporchpickins.blogspot.com

Remember: If the DUCK is not on the truck…. it might mean BAD LUCK.

We have received many reports from citizens in the Bismarck/Mandan area that have signed contracts with a company that falsely represented itself as ABC Roofing. These homeowners pre-paid for roofing or siding work to repair hail damage incurred during the early summer storm season.

Don’t be fooled by these contractors that are leveraging the ABC Seamless reputation for excellence in exterior remodeling to talk you into some roofing repair, we do not endorse their services or products.

If you feel that you have been misled by America’s Best Contractor, .

Metal roofs are very tough and highly resistant to hail damage.  Hail will not penetrate a metal roof.  Even a new asphalt shingle roof won’t protect a home from the next hailstorm.  In fact, many metal roofing products have the highest impact resistance and hail rating (Class 4) granted by Underwriters’ Laboratory (UL).  This means that a sample of the product did not crack when hit twice in the same spot by a 2-inch steel ball, which, in a storm, would translate into a huge hailstone.  As a result of metal roofing’s superior performance in hail prone areas, some insurance companies even provide a reduced rate for homes protected by metal roofs. 

The Roofing Industry Committee on Weather Issues, Inc. recently published the results of a comprehensive study on the impact of hail on various roofing materials.  RICOWI’s latest report included data from its inaugural Hailstorm Investigation Program (HIP).  Four inspection teams examined over one hundred roofing systems during a four-day period to evaluate the effects of a significant hailstorm that passed through portions of Oklahoma City.  The purpose of the project was to document the effects of hail impact on a variety of roofing products, and to describe roof assembly performance and modes of damage for substantiated hailstone sizes. 

Four steep slope metal roofs were inspected: three metal shingle panels and one standing seam copper roof.  Maximum hailstone sizes impacting the roofs ranged from 0.75” to 1.75” in diameter.  Surface spatter marks were visible where hailstones had removed some of the surface patina of the metal or surface grime and oxidation from the painted surfaces.  Dents occurred from hail impact on three of the four roofs, with one metal shingle panel having no dents with 1.25 inch diameter hail.  On the other roofs, the hail caused dents were found to be a cosmetic issue, with no functional damage.  Panel joints had not been distorted sufficiently to affect the water shedding ability of the panels. 

Hail effects on metal roof systems were seen as cosmetic, rather than functional.  Indentations occurred with larger hailstones, but painted coatings or stone-coatings had not been compromised by the denting. 

For more information, visit www. metalroofing.com.

Following up on that general prediction, we used the poll in our Windows&Doors Weekly newsletter to see if and when the industry thought we’d be going from double to triple glass. Apparently, a good number of people out there think it will happen. We asked readers how long before triple-glazing will account for 25 percent of the market. In total, close to 40 percent predicted it would happen within the next 10 years. That’s not a very long time in our industry. Vinyl, and I would say low-E, were probably around longer than 10 years before they hit the 25 percent market share mark.
Another quarter of our respondents expect the shift will happen, but suggest it would take longer—perhaps 20 years. It’s interesting to note, however, that one quarter don’t think it will ever happen. Never is a long time. I suspect those responses are somewhat colored by the very legitimate cost versus value question that triple-lite presents the industry—and our customers—now.

Going to triple-lite construction most of us know, can add significantly to the cost of a product. It not only adds to the cost of the glass package itself, but the ...

To view the rest of this article, originally published in the August 2008 issue of Window & Door magazine, click here: http://www.windowanddoor.com/article/august-2008/moving-double-triple-or-possibly-a-new-technology

ABC Seamless Siding, “The World’s Largest Seamless Siding Company”, manufactures seamless steel siding, seamless steel log home siding and seamless steel gutters on the job site. The company also installs steel soffit and seamless steel fascia and metal roofing on residential and commercial buildings. The National Franchise Headquarters is based in Fargo, N.D. ABC Seamless Steel Siding has 111 franchises in 30 states. Visit our online showroom at http://www.abcseamless.com.
Below are the ABC Seamless franchises that ranked in Qualified Remodeler’s “Top 500”.
#146: ABC Seamless of Fargo, ND
#175: Schmidt Siding & Window/ABC Seamless of Mankato, MN
#208: Richard Larson Builders/ABC Seamless of Hutchinson, MN
#223: Asher Enterprises/ABC Seamless of Eau Claire, WI
#268: Dubois Design & Remodeling/ABC Seamless of Hastings, MI
#310: Home Specialists/ABC Seamless of Madison, WI
#331: ABC Seamless of Cheyenne, WY
#366: Statewide Contracting/ABC Seamless of Central Montana
#386: ABC Seamless Of Omaha and Central (Wood River) Nebraska
#391: Home Solutions Midwest/ABC Seamless of Albert Lea, MN
#396: ABC Seamless of Billings, Billings, MT
#459: Miller Custom Exteriors/ABC Seamless of NE, Ohio (Fredericksburg)
#461: Canyonside Enterprises, Inc./ABC Seamless of Jerome, Jerome, ID
#473: Wrightway, Inc./ABC Seamless of Fond du Lac, Appleton & Germantown, WI

“Maintaining a traditional log home is a huge expense of both time and money,” says Scott Seiler of ABC Seamless, the company that manufactures the steel siding. “Expect to spend a minimum of $750 a year in time and materials to maintain a real log home, and another $6,000 or more every three to five years to have the house professionally preserved, re-stained and sealed.”

ABC Seamless Steel Log Home Siding eliminates those maintenance costs. The siding can be installed over existing siding on any style home, including a real log house. The steel log siding comes in a variety of sizes and colors, from dark brown “Rustic Brown” to “Williamsburg Gray” that mimics the light gray of wood exposed to the elements.

Because the siding is seamless, there are no unsightly joints in the middle of the wall where moisture may seep in. Each panel is applied with a warm blanket of insulation foam placed between the old exterior and the new siding. A foam backer inserted behind each individual log contour adds strength and support.

Log cabin owners Orvis and Diane Stockstad of Fargo, N.D. had the siding installed on the log home they’d owned for 30 years on Central Minnesota’s Pelican Lake. “From the road, it looks like an authentic log cabin,” Diane says. “You’d have to get up mighty close before realizing that it isn’t.”

Log home owner Oscar Green likes the maintenance-free qualities of the siding. “I’m getting older and don’t want to deal with all the maintenance which comes with owning a wood log home,” Green says. “Now there’s no maintenance and I still have my log home.”

To learn more about how ABC Seamless Steel Log Home Siding can give your home the maintenance-free look of a log house, visit http://www.abcseamless.com