High Performance Products
In our last part of our high performance remodeling series, we are looking at the area that most commonly fits the term: high performance products. Everyone knows that a product can either perform well for a long period of time or faulter after only a few years of use. We’ve already looked at service and installation, but without the third leg of the stool, we will fall short in our efforts. When service, installation and products come together, an enjoyable remodeling experience creating a space or structure that’ll last 100 years comes within reach.
Back to our definition from the first blog post, high performance is doing something better, faster and more efficiently than others. When looking at this quality within the context of construction and remodeling, the attribute of durability should be added. High performance is not just an active quality, but in the constructed world, it is very much passive. This means it just sits there and endures. It takes everything nature and life throws its way and it either deteriorates or perseveres. A high performance bridge, for example, is one constructed in such a way that it will need minimal maintenance and yet endure for decades or even centuries.
To borrow from this example, most bridges are still being reinforced with steel rebar. Steel certainly has its advantages, but its big weakness is corrosion. Once the process starts, it can quickly compromise the structure unless repairs are made. Fiberglass rebar does not have this quality, so if the bridge is designed right, using fiberglass over steel can yield a bridge that will last much longer in harsher environments with less maintenance. This is a high performance bridge.
In the residential remodeling world, the equivalent might be a compete waterproofing system in the shower, such as Schluter Systems. In the kitchen, it might be drawer pulls made not from painted aluminum, but rather an unlaquered brass or one with a lifetime coating. If you are adding or replacing windows, it might be the choice of UPVC over vinyl. If you are finishing a basement, it would be selecting insulating or barrier products to keep moisture and mold out.
Thankfully, we live in an innovative society with nearly endless resources. The competitive market demands that manufacturers prioritize research and development to constantly improve the product, both over predecessors and competitors. We, as remodelers, must stay at the forefront of what is available, constantly educating ourselves on what is the best product for the particular application. We become the doctors making choosing the best prescription for the ailment.