Jason Culpepper, Vice President of Sales and Marketing, explains PFT’s new video series, The Right Way.
The goal of the series is to bring significant value to everyone that plays a role in getting insulated siding installed on homes every day, whether that be the owners, marketers, sales people, installers, etc. These audiences don’t exactly keep consistent office hours, so the idea behind the series is that the content can be accessed whenever and wherever is most convenient.
The series consists of four video types, so you can choose which one will bring the most value to you.
Tips of the Week
Short videos that feature quick tips and tricks about siding insulation and how to install, that you can put into play immediately.
From the Pros Who Know
Technical experts from PFT and other experienced remodelers answer common questions about siding insulation, installation and sales tips, and industry trends.
Behind the Scenes
Get an inside look at PFT, including the processes and innovations that come together to make the high-quality products you offer your customers.
What’s New with PFT
Videos just like this one will keep you in-the-know about the latest happenings at PFT, including new product announcements, special programs and promotions, and more.
Orlando, Florida – At the 2017 International Builders Show, Progressive Foam Technologies, Inc. was recognized by BASF, the worlds largest chemical company, as the Product Manufacturer of the Year for their support in helping bringing new, innovative insulation products made from Neopor® graphite polystyrene to the marketplace.
PFT was recognized by BASF alongside other influential companies in the building products industry, including Builder of the Year, Tim O’Brien Homes, and Insulation Contractor of the Year, Dakota Insulation, Inc.
In addition to converting Neopor raw material into various siding insulation products in 2016, PFT provided support for the launch of the HP+ Wall System E-Series. This durable, structural assembly meets or exceeds codes while using less wood than traditional construction, resulting in exceptional energy and cost efficiency.
“I am thrilled to accept this award on behalf of every employee at PFT that played a role in bringing the HP+ E Series product to life,” said Progressive Foam President and Founder, Pat Culpepper. “BASF remarked on the professionalism, cooperation, and openness of those they have worked with at PFT, and I am honored to be a part of such a great team of people.”
Progressive Foam began manufacturing a new line of high-performance siding insulation products made with Neopor thermal foam in 2012, and quickly became the largest converter of Neopor in North America.
Neopor® provides maximum energy efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and sustainability to insulation products. It’s unique silver-gray color and exceptional insulation characteristics are a result of high-purity graphite that reflects and absorbs radiant energy, decreasing the materials thermal conductivity and increasing it’s R-value.
“The addition of the Premium Series product line, made of Neopor, to our product offering adds a higher performance option for contractors and homeowners,” says Culpepper. “With new energy codes in place, siding insulation can no longer be considered an option or an upgrade. The time is right for siding insulation made of Neopor.”
About Progressive Foam: Progressive Foam Technologies, Inc. is a manufacturer of foam insulation products for home exterior siding applications and is the inventor of insulated vinyl siding. The company develops premium insulation products that are energy-efficient, durable and long-lasting, and can be applied to any siding type.
Pictured, left to right: Luis Espada (Business Manager Neopor N. America, BASF), Jason Culpepper (Vice President Sales and Marketing, PFT), Pat Culpepper (Founder and President, PFT), and Erika Peterman (VP Performance Materials Construction, BASF)
When installing insulated siding, or vinyl siding with Fullback insulation, it is important to first select the appropriate j-channel for the job.
A common question we receive is “How long of a fastener do I need when installing insulated vinyl siding?”.
The vinyl siding institute recommends that your fastener penetrates into a nailable service, such as wood sheathing or a stud, at least 1-1/4″. With hollow vinyl siding, a 1-1/2″ nail can be used.
With insulated siding, you have to take into account the thickness of the insulation. For instance, if using a 1/2″ of insulation, you need at least a 2″ nail. When in doubt, use a slightly longer nail.
As always, when in doubt, check your siding manufacturer’s installation requirements when determining the required fastener length.
PFT installation expert Jared explains what type of fastener to use on you siding and insulation job.
For sheathing and fanfold products, use a button cap nail to tack it to the wall prior to your siding installation.
When installing vinyl siding, use a galvanized nail, stainless steel nail, or aluminum nail; something that won’t rust. Roofing nails with a 3/8″ diameter head work well with vinyl siding.
Make sure you use a long enough nail to go through the siding and the insulation, and is long enough to penetrate into the sheathing or framing to the proper depth.
This Tip of the Week is a little different than our usual installation tip. This week we will show you the bat display, and how it can be used to show a key feature of insulated vinyl siding.
The bat display is a great demo to use in a showroom or at a home show, because the sound it makes attracts people to your siding display.
First, slide a piece of traditional, hollow vinyl siding into position. Pull back the bat and release. You will see that the siding begins to crack and chip due to the impact.
Now, slide a piece of insulated siding into place behind the bat. Pull back the bat and release. As you can see, the insulated siding panel absorbs the impact from the bat over and over again, protecting the siding from damage.
PFT installation expert Jared answers the question about whether traditional EPS insulation can be mixed with premium Neopor insulation on a siding job.
Traditional EPS insulation and premium Neopor insulation can be mixed on a job, however there are a few important things to keep in mind.
Thickness
Make sure the panels you are using are the exact same thickness and profile. Even a slight difference in the foam panels can make a huge impact on the job
Exposure
Premium Neopor insulation must be protected from prolonged exposure to sunlight. Make sure it is stored in the appropriate packaging at the jobsite. The white opaque bag helps protect Neopor from the sunlight.
Approval
Finally, make sure the homeowner has approved the use of mixed materials on their home.
PFT installation expert Jared talks about one of his favorite accessories on a vinyl siding job, vinyl siding mounting blocks. He has even used them on his own home.
Vinyl mounting blocks can be used to mount a variety of things, from lights and receptacles to water spigots. Adjustable mounting blocks are able to be used with various thicknesses of products, which works well when installing vinyl siding with contoured Fullback siding insulation.
Simply nail the base to the wall. Install the siding and insulation around the base, butting the insulation all the way against the block. To finish, you snap the adjustable channel ring into place for a nice, clean fit.
Our PFT installation expert Jared explains the benefits of using an insulation starter adapter when installing vinyl siding with Fullback.
Installing Fullback and and vinyl siding without a starter adapter creates a void at the bottom of the siding panel near the starter strip. This part of a home is most susceptible to damage from objects like a kid’s baseball or a rock thrown from a lawnmower.
To install a starter adapter, simply snap it onto the starter strip, then install the vinyl with Fullback as you normally would. This completely fills the void behind the siding, making it more solid and adding one extra layer of insulation at the start of the siding job.
Installation expert Jared answers the question, “Do I need to leave a gap between siding insulation panels?”
We recommend that you do not leave a gap between two panels of insulation. You simply butt the panels up against each other. This provides a solid blanket of insulation behind the vinyl siding.