Web Site Offers Design Tools And Information On Beautifying Your Home (NAPSA)—Consumersare increasingly turning to the Internet and using Web sites to gain valuable information on home improvement options and the best products to use. According to the Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard University, an estimated 26 million homeowners will spend over $185 billion this year to make home improvements. About 80 percent, or nearly $150 billion of the total, will go for remodeling projects with exterior remodeling as a major spending category. One Web site, www.alcoa homes.com, helps educate consumers on the latest trends in exterior remodeling and ways that its siding, accessory and trim products can add value, protection and beauty to their homes. “We designed our Website for high levels of interactivity and usefulness,” said Jeff Peskowitz, vice president of marketing for Alcoa Building Products, Inc. (ABP). “Our priority was to pro- vide quick access to a wealth of information, ideas and suggestions useful for planning a home exterior project.” Homeownerscan try their hand at designing a new lookfor their home’s exterior using the site’s interactive e-Magine™ tool. Users start by selecting the elevation that most resembles their home. Or, for a fee, they can download a digital photograph of their home directly into e-Magine and craft a new exterior using Alcoa’s extensive choices of siding panels, colors, textures and profiles. Consumers can experiment with coordinating accessories and trim to achieve a custom-home look combiningsiding, designer accessories, soffit and shutters. Product choices on the Website provide all that is needed for a complete home exterior solution. The company ensures thatits accessory and trim colors coordinate with its vinylsiding. Homeowners visiting the site can also learn how to evaluate a vinyl siding’s performance features such as fade protection, rigidity, impact and wind resistance. This includes examining the quality and technology that goes into vinyl siding, the manner of testing the panel and the kind of warranty offered by the manufacturer. Alcoa addresses compre- The Internet can provide homeowners with valuable home improvement information. One such Web site is www.alcoahomes.com. hensive product development, testing, certification and quality control issues through its Integrated Standards of Performance (ISP™) program. What about installation? Alcoa recommends that homeowners contact a professional contractor. Proper installation is extremely important, and professional contractors have the experience and the right tools. After installation, the Web site offers the proud owner of a home using Alcoa products the opportunity to enter the SuperShots™ photo contest. Exterior photographs of new and remodeled homes are judged for originality, creativity and quality of workmanship. A winner is selected bimonthly and featured on the Website. ABPis a leading U.S. manufacturer of vinyl and aluminum products for the remodeling and new construction markets. Featuring both the Classic Living Collection™ of vinyl siding and Mastic premium siding, Alcoa Building Products offers 40 years of experience in manufacturing and marketing a broad selection of exterior cladding solutions, including siding, soffit and decorative accessories. ABP operates manufacturing and warehousing facilities in Ohio, Virginia, South Carolina and Texas. For more information visit www.alcoahomes.com,or call (800) 962-6973.
