UniShield Supreme

Customers who install Universal Windows Direct’s UniShield Supreme vinyl siding are saving 20% on heating costs—guaranteed. 

By: Ken McEntee
Date: 09/25/2009
When Chad Howman, general manager at Universal Windows Direct, explained how his UniShield vinyl siding with Fullback underlayment/insulation was tested against 80-mile-per-hour fastballs at Progressive Field, I was a little skeptical. Unless the sample was considerably larger than the strike zone, I reasoned, what were the chances of a Tribe hurler hitting the target?

“We used a pitching machine,” Chad explained. “And the 80-mile-per-hour fastballs could not penetrate our siding.”

That’s why Universal can confidently warranty its UniShield siding with Fullback against hail damage.
Universal’s UniShield Supreme is a premium .046-inch thick vinyl siding that not only looks great, but is also rugged and long-lasting, says Mike Strmac, co-owner of the Oakwood-based company—one of the fastest growing, independently owned businesses in the country. The reinforced design prevents sagging, the thick nail hem provides resistance again strong wind, and its exceptionally long panels allow for almost seamless installation.

“Most companies’ panels are 12-feet long, but most homes are 25 to 32 feet long,” Chad says. “Our panels are available in 12-foot-six inches, 16-foot-eight inches and 25-foot lengths. We just finished a home in Avon Lake that had just one seam on the whole house. It makes a big difference in appearance.”

The Fullback foam insulation underlayment makes a big difference in durability and in energy savings. Unlike traditional flat underlayment that allows bouncy gaps beneath the vinyl, Fullback is contoured to the shape of the siding. That means every part of the siding is flush solid with the underlayment, providing strength and better insulation.

“Premium contoured underlayment delivers up to three times more R-value compared to other underlayments,” Chad explains. “It also allows moisture to escape up to 500-percent more readily, helping to prevent moisture-related wood damage.”

Universal guarantees a 20-percent savings on your gas bill after Unishield is installed
with Fullback underlayment. And, Chad reminds, Unishield siding with Fullback is eligible for federal tax credits.

Most vinyl siding panels are flexible—even on the hooked top of the nail hem. Unishield panels feature a stiff polycoated stabilizer at the top that will not bend.

“That means there will be no sagging,” Mike promises. “The lines will be straight and the siding will withstand 160-mile-per-hour winds without blowing off.”

Chad adds that because of Unishield’s titanium dioxide coating, Universal is able to guarantee it against color fading for nine years.

Along with the premium Unishield siding, Universal also carries a variety of other vinyl siding to fit your budget.
And the siding will be installed by Universal’s crews of meticulous craftsmen.

William Barr, a native of Fairview Park, started Universal Window Direct seven years ago along with Mike Strmac, his friend since second grade. Since that time, Universal has grown into an $8 million a year business.

“Our success is due to our philosophy of charging a fair price for an outstanding product and backing it with real customer service,” Mike says. “We’re proud to say that 45-percent of our customers come to us from word-of-mouth referral.”

All of universal’s windows, doors and siding products are manufactured in Ohio. “Because they’re made exclusively for us, and because we buy in such enormous quantities, we can keep the costs down,” Mike says. “We have buying power that other contractors just can’t touch.”

So whom are you siding with?

Because Mimi readers are clever enough to spot a good deal when they see one, Mike wants to reward them by offering free gutters with a complete vinyl siding installation to the first 75 callers.

“Even though this product can be installed year round, now is the time,” Chad says.


For a free estimate, you can call the Universal Windows Direct showroom and national headquarters, at 216-518-8900. The showroom is located at 7813 First Place, in Oakwood, just off I-271. Visit www.UniversalWindowsDirect.com to learn more.

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