March 9th, 2010
•Increased property value.
•Structurally sound foundation.
•A healthier home environment for your family.
•A warmer basement during winter.
•Enjoy an increased living space.
•A more attractive and more comfortable home.
To learn more about basement waterproofing benefits or to schedule your free inspection and evaluation click on the link below:
http://atlasrestoration.com/waterproofing.html
Tags: healthier home environment, increased living space, increased property value, warmer basement
Posted in Basement Waterproofing | No Comments »
March 7th, 2010
•Wet basements create the perfect environment for termite activity.
•Trapped musty air in basements travel to upper living areas in buildings.
•Wet basements have excessive mold and mildew.
•Mildew in drywall is known to be toxic.
•Wet basements promote allergic discomfort.
•Wet basements add to humidity THROUGHOUT the house.
•Wet basements cost more to heat, as it takes more energy to heat damp air.
•USEABLE SPACE can sometimes be DOUBLED with a properly waterproofed basement.
To learn more about how to repair wet basements click on the link below:
http://atlasrestoration.com/waterproofing.html
Tags: allergies, humidity, mildew, musty air, termites, wet basement
Posted in Basement Waterproofing | No Comments »
March 3rd, 2010
Yes! If you have a pump that runs even occasionally, you should have a backup system (powered by either a battery or self-starting generator). When (not if) an electric pump fails, you can have substantial seepage and water damage. An adequately sized backup system is cheap insurance against this type of catastrophe.
Most people realize they need a back-up sump pump a day too late – after the basement has flooded due of a power outage or sump pump failure. Then, they find out that home insurance does not cover flood damages to the finished basement (say $20,000). Nor does it cover mold remediation (say $12,000), should that become necessary. So, they pick up a pump in a store but nobody warns them that:
•it cannot keep up with the primary pump although it will be called on during the year’s worst storms.
•it is less reliable than the not-so-reliable primary pump it is supposed to back up.
•it may interfere with the primary pump float or its check valve, causing basement flooding.
•its short useful life is only 2–5 years before it needs replacing.
Click on the leak below to find out how to have a guaranteed and professionaly sized Atlas Battery-Backup Sump installed.
http://www.atlasrestoration.com/waterproofing.html
Posted in Atlas Battery-Backup Sump Pump | No Comments »
March 1st, 2010
Most repairs can be done year round, even during extremely cold or wet weather. Winter is actually a good time for repairs as most contractors are not as busy. Delaying a waterproofing repair is never a good option, water problems only get worse and the potential for additional damage increases.
Click on the link below to schedule your free inspection:
www.atlasrestoration.com/waterproofing.html
Posted in Basement Waterproofing | No Comments »
January 27th, 2010
Radiant barriers work by reducing heat transfer by thermal radiation across the air space between the roof deck and the attic floor, where conventional insulation is usually placed. All materials give off, or emit, energy by thermal radiation as a result of their temperature. The amount of energy emitted depends on the surface temperature and a property called the “emissivity” (also called the “emittance”). The emissivity is a number between zero (0) and one (1). The higher the emissivity, the greater the emitted radiation.
A closely related material property is the “reflectivity” (also called the “reflectance”). This is a measure of how much radiant heat is reflected by a material. The reflectivity is also a number between 0 and 1 (sometimes, it is given as a percentage, and then it is between 0 and 100%). For a material that is opaque (that is, it does not allow radiation to pass directly through it), when the emissivity and reflectivity are added together, the sum is one (1). Hence, a material with a high reflectivity has a low emissivity, and vice versa. Radiant barrier materials must have high reflectivity (usually 0.9, or 90%, or more) and low emissivity (usually 0.1 or less), and must face an open air space to perform properly.
On a sunny summer day, solar energy is absorbed by the roof, heating the roof sheathing and causing the underside of the sheathing and the roof framing to radiate heat downward toward the attic floor. When a radiant barrier is placed on the attic floor, much of the heat radiated from the hot roof is reflected back toward the roof. This makes the top surface of the insulation cooler than it would have been without a radiant barrier and thus reduces the amount of heat that moves through the insulation into the rooms below the ceiling.
Under the same conditions, a roof mounted radiant barrier works by reducing the amount of radiation incident on the insulation. Since the amount of radiation striking the top of the insulation is less than it would have been without a radiant barrier, the insulation surface temperature is lower and the heat flow through the insulation is reduced.
Radiant barriers can also reduce indoor heat losses through the ceiling in the winter. Radiant barriers reduce the amount of energy radiated from the top surface of the insulation.
Tags: AtlasFoil, attic floor, emissivity, emittance, heat transfer, insulation, radiant barrier, reflectance, reflectivity, thermal radiation
Posted in Attic Insulation | No Comments »
January 27th, 2010
The answer is probably “yes” if you:
Have an older home and haven’t added insulation: in a recent survey, only 20% of homes built before 1980 were well insulated;
Are uncomfortably cold in the winter or hot in the summer — adding insulation creates a more uniform temperature and increases comfort;
Build a new house or addition, or install new siding or roofing;
Pay excessive energy bills;
Are concerned about the effect of energy use on the environment.
Tags: AtlasFoil, Attic Insulation, crawl insulation, crawl space insulation, environment, high energy bills, insulate
Posted in Attic Insulation | No Comments »
January 27th, 2010
“One of the most surprising results obtained in the FSEC tests was the mutually enhancing effect of RBS’s and attic ventilation. When they measured the “apparent R-value” of ventilated attic systems with and without radiant barriers, they came up with values of R-68 with the RBS and R-38 without RBS! (”Apparent R” is calculated from the temperature difference across the whole attic, from roof surface to ceiling below.)” Energy Design Update, March 1986, Vol.5, No. 3
Tags: "R" value, AtlasFoil, radiant barrier, RBS
Posted in Attic Insulation | No Comments »
January 27th, 2010
“Reflective foil retrofitted to fiberglass insulated buildings is demonstrably effective in reducing heat loss… Insulation of foil in uninsulated buildings would show even more pronounced reduction in heat loss.” Northeastern Illinois University, Professor Charles Shabica, May 20, 1986
Posted in Attic Insulation, Uncategorized | No Comments »
January 27th, 2010
Installing AtlasFoil in your attic is one of the easiest energy upgrades you can do for your home. Using a radiant barrier in your attic is already mandatory in some states, and that is because it greatly enhances your cost savings when it comes to heating and air-conditioning.
Posted in Attic Insulation, Uncategorized | No Comments »
January 27th, 2010
Foil insulation is typically installed in home attics to help reduce utility bills. Radiant Barrier is preferred over other types of insulations because foil insulation reflects heat back to its source, while other types of insulation only slow down the transfer of heat. In a standard residential home, installing foil insulation in your attic can stop 95-97% of the radiant heat that strikes its surface. More than that, foil insulation resists heat gain in the summer months but it also reduces heat loss during winter months.
Tags: Attic Insulation, attics, foil insulation, radiant barrier, radiant heat, utility bills
Posted in Attic Insulation, Uncategorized | No Comments »