Stop Heat Loss!

Universal Windows’ new AttiCat blown-in insulation system promises an R-value of 60 and a savings that far exceeds the industry standard.

By: Beth Newcomb
Date: 02/03/2010
It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that there is something not quite right about all of the enormous, inches-thick icicles hanging from the rooflines of nearly every house on your block and mine.

But it does take an expert in the area of home energy efficiency to figure out how to make them disappear—for good.

Because the fact of the matter is—no matter how old your home is—chances are it’s not as well insulated as it could be. And those icicles on the roofline? That’s money seeping out of your house in the form of heat-melted snow, refrozen before it hits the ground.

“Most homes only have about four inches of insulation in the attic,” explains William Barr, who together with his partner and longtime friend, Mike Strmac, owns Universal Windows Direct. “Whether you’re using the ‘pink stuff’ or some other brand, those few inches are only giving you an R-value of about an eight. When you don’t have proper attic ventilation and insulation, heat can escape, causing ice damming in the winter.”

“You could have a brand new roof and still experience ice damming,” Mike inserts, noting that most warranties for professionally installed roofs are null and void without proper insulation.

In response to a bevy of requests from their client base, the duo has recently introduced a new blown-in insulation to the premium lines of energy efficient windows, doors, and siding offered at their Oakwood showroom. Their new AttiCat, by Owens Corning, promises to increase the efficiency of any attic to a whopping R-value of 60—a number previously unheard of in the industry.

But dazzling clients isn’t new to the Fairview Park natives who created their business after a lifelong friendship, formed in the second grade, found them launching one of the area’s most successful entrepreneurial ventures to date.

“We’re proud to say that more than 50% of our customers come to us from word-of-mouth referral,” William reveals. “Once a customer finds out how exceptional our products and prices are, we typically get the job.”

“A blown-in insulation product was a natural fit to our business model,” Mike continues. “The other products we offer are so energy efficient that adding our new AttiCat to the mix was simply another way to provide our clients with even greater energy savings.”

As with all products offered by Universal, AttiCat is installed by the team’s certified, professional crew.
It’s a cost-effective solution that Mike and William say can ultimately pay a homeowner back—big time. “Today’s mortgage is tomorrow’s energy bill,” William says. “Heating expenses typically represent a big chunk of your monthly budget. By insulating your entire home, you can pocket the savings.”

The technology of AttiCat is far superior to its rolled out counterpart because it won’t settle over time. And because AttiCat expands, air gets trapped for increased insulation.

“We use an all-natural product that will never dissipate or settle into crevices,” Mike says. “Unlike rolled insulation, our blown-in product qualifies for the current government energy tax credit. A typical return on investment is about three to five years, and with the credit, you could even end up making money.”

While you may be thinking you’re out of the woods if your home was constructed within the last 10 years, William says that simply isn’t the case.

“New construction is the worst,” he laments. “Just about every builder uses an inferior grade of insulation. Almost nobody offers a promised R-value of 60, and anything less than an R-19 isn’t enough.”
It’s easy to find out if your home could benefit from AttiCat, or any of the other products offered by Universal.
The team will provide a free home energy audit to any customer who calls. It takes just about 20 minutes. During that time, they can uncover places in your home where you might be losing heat, then let you know which improvements could be most beneficial. They’ll also check to make sure your attic is properly vented and whether or not there are any mold issues.

If you decide to add AttiCat to your home, Mike says the price includes new baffles to make sure your attic is “breathing” in the right spots. Should your energy audit reveal the need for new doors, siding, or windows, Universal offers a guaranteed pricing program to help ease the financial commitment.

Simply complete one project with the Universal team and they’ll freeze prices for two full years on anything else you might be interested in.

“If you need to replace your siding, doors and windows, it’s best to do it all at once,” William inserts. “But we understand that may not be possible for every homeowner. Our guaranteed pricing program helps ensure that each customer can move at his or her own pace.”

And when you’re ready, Universal exclusively sells and installs the UniShield brand of windows, which are constructed using NASA-engineered, Super Spacer technology instead of metal. They last five times longer than their metal counterparts and promise a 34-percent energy savings over other brands.

“Our products are rated higher than most windows, yet they cost 20- to 30-percent less,” William says. “And all of our windows qualify for the current energy tax credit.”

Universal’s UniShield Supreme is the company’s premium .044-inch thick vinyl siding that not only looks great but is also rugged and long lasting. The Fullback foam insulation underlayment makes a big difference in durability and in energy savings.

“Premium contoured underlayment delivers up to three times more R-value compared to other underlayments,” Mike 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.
Combined with the savings from its AttiCat blown-in insulation and UniShield windows and doors, not only will you never have to worry about the damage from ice damming on the roof again, you may even be able to put the money you’ve saved toward something the entire family can enjoy together.

Like a nice, warm vacation.

The Universal Windows Direct showroom and national headquarters is located at 7813 First Place, in Oakwood, just off I-271. The phone number is 440-786-1400 or 1-800-9-TILT-IN. Visit the website at www.UniversalWindowsDirect.com to learn more. 

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