When homeowners take on a massive home improvement project such as siding replacement, they’re naturally concerned about the quality of the material. Researching this topic often leads to the famous (or perhaps infamous) Louisiana-Pacific siding recall. Or, as many refer to it, the LP siding recall fiasco.
Here’s the low-down on what LP itself calls “one of the largest class-action lawsuits in the history of the siding industry.”
In the 1990s, Louisiana-Pacific found itself beneath the onslaught of a number of lawsuits related to the alleged poor performance of LP’s simulated cedar Inner-Seal siding. The company manufactured this product during the early- to mid-1990s and homeowners noticed problems cropping up almost immediately.
LP’s Inner-Seal siding featured a 25-year warranty. However, in many cases, the siding rotted, disintegrated, and became discolored. Some plaintiffs alleged that the siding grew fungi.
The product’s instability was readily apparent in the aftermath of South Florida’s devastating encounter with Hurricane Andrew in 1992. High winds shredded panels, exposing the underlying oriented strand board (OSB) to torrential rains, intensifying and speeding up the disintegration process.
Claims
More than 37,000 claims were filed against LP, and the company ultimately paid out almost $1 billion to satisfy those claims.
For its part, the company made good over the next decade, although LP did not admit to any wrongdoing. The judge who presided over the case said LP “got the most money to the most people in the quickest amount of time.”
Why do we bring up the LP siding recall? To emphasize a couple of things. First: the importance of choosing the right siding for your home. And second, the importance of partnering with a trusted siding replacement contractor.
In fact, it was Joe’s long experience with faulty LP siding that led to the founding of Joseph Ketner Construction in the first place.
Back in the late 1990s and early 2000s, Joe was part of a crew that was constantly replacing faulty LP siding. Joe’s experience helped him learn a great deal and illustrated the need for a new Portland-area siding company that provided local homeowners with premium siding.
Through the years, JKC crews have continued to replace old LP siding with new Hardie plank siding on hundreds of houses. Now Joe continues to work and pass on his expertise for siding and exterior remodeling.
Joseph Ketner Construction: Portland Siding Contractor
At Joseph Ketner Construction, we specialize in the installation of James Hardie Siding. It’s widely considered to be the best siding on the market. What’s more, we’re proud to be a Preferred James Hardie Remodeler. This is a designation that applies to less than 1% of all siding contractors in the United States.
What does that mean? It means we’re the best, and that we install the best products. Our crews are true craftspeople. They install and replace home siding in Portland with a precision borne of years of experience and practice.
When you work with Ketner, you’ll be informed every step of the way about the progress of your home’s siding replacement. And if anything goes wrong, we’ll make it right. With no muss and no fuss.
Finally, the Ketner crew is highly trained. Each member of our siding replacement and installation teams is trained to meet or exceed all manufacturers’ specifications. And for Hardie Siding, it also means we honor all individual product warranties.
Curious about wood siding and trim? How about fiber cement or composite siding? We can answer your questions about any and all siding installations and warranty claims. (Warranties can be for 15 years, 20 years, and up to a 30-year warranty!)
If you’re buying a house and thinking about a home inspection, let us know. We can give you some tips on what to ask regarding your home’s siding — and whether or not you may be able to file a claim of your own.
You can rest easy with Joseph Ketner Construction. Give us a call today! We’re happy to discuss your home improvement and siding replacement project with you.
