Alside Prodigy Foam Backed Vinyl Offers Very High Insulation Values and Long Panel Design
Since CRANEBOARD garnered a large market share with its' revolutionary solidcore system other manufacturers have entered the competitive field. Alside's newest offering is a very thick foam backed panel with a double 6 inch profile.
Insulation may substantially reduce energy consumption in any climate. Prodigy has the thickest insulation of any solid backed vinyl I have seen. It has an R 5.0 rating! The foam isn't bonded to the back of the vinyl the way CRANEBOARD's is, but the clever design locks the foam into place very well. For those homeowners seeking maximum insulation this is the product for them.
Alsides' beautiful 6 inch wide reveal gives the home the look of thick cedar siding. The panel really does look great. It is a double 6 inch design. It is a long panel at 16' 8" which means fewer seams.
The thick reinforced design should withstand a lifetime of abuse. It is a very rugged thick vinyl siding panel .050 (thicker than CRANEBOARD at .046) with a very thick foam panel locked in behind.
Alside offers many classic and contemporary colors complemented by insulated, color-matched accessories and trim. Alside doesn't change their colors often which is a good thing for consumers.
The color through permanent finish with authentic, subtle beauty eliminates scraping and painting forever. A very nice warranty protects you and the value of your home. (See printed warranty for complete details.)Alside's warranty is one of the best and they have great customer service in my experience. They have a great warranty that covers the siding, the foam, fade, hail, etc. All the things many warranties won't cover.
I have just sold one of the first if not the first job in Washington. The homeowner needed insulation and it was a major concern for him. When I showed how thick the Prodigy was, it was a simple decision for him. It will be interesting to see how it installs. I suspect it will be more difficult than CRANEBOARD because of the thickness. Prodigy has come up with a very neat system for fitting siding into tight spots with a two part "J" channel system which will come at a higher installation cost along with the bigger trim pieces, but it shows Alside has put some serious thought into their newest offering. I'll know soon about the difficulty factor for installing this product.
UPDATE: It turns out that we have installed the first Prodigy job in WA state. The siding is nice to install It is a stacking system unlike traditional vinyl sidings which "hang". Because of the stacking system it will never blow off a house and you never have to worry about the top panel working loose. Taking a panel off is much more difficult but not impossible. The long panel looks superb and it has a very low gloss finish.
Upon close inspection of the warranty this is a great siding warranting the foam as well as the siding for a lifetime, and it carries a 3 Hunter unit fade warranty for life. That is basically guaranteeing no fade for 50 years what-so-ever as 3 Hunter units is extremely hard to detect.
So far, this product has exceeded our expectations in some ways and been disappointing in others. The corners are longer than normal with a very nice custom offset design. They detail well with fewer seams. The "J" channel is wider and quite strong making for a very nice finished appearance around windows and doors.
