Unconditioned Space What is it & should it be insulated? When a building uses heating or cooling equipment to control the temperature and/or humidity it is considered a conditioned space. Unconditioned space is just the opposite and could be an entire building, such as a barn or warehouse, or any part of a building…
Recap of Donations Made by 4002 & You 4002 & You is made up of a group of companies: LeafGuard of Lake Erie, Bauer Specialty, BPM Housing, Bauer Specialty Commercial Services, and BNB Financial Services which share a connection to office operations at 4002 Main Street in Lawrence Park, Pennsylvania. Monthly 4002 & You makes…
Did you know that the discovery of spray foam was actually the result of a lab accident, but it soon become a leading material for insulation and sealing? Like with many other materials primarily used for commercial use, artists and crafters found new ways to use spray foam, and applied them to their creative endeavors.…
This month 4002 & You is donating to Foster Erie in support of their annual Placement Bag Drive and bringing awareness to the needs of foster kids in Erie County. Matt Bauer sat down with Jessica Peterson and Alyssa Fox to learn more about Foster Erie and fostering in general. Check out the extended conversation below…
This month 4002 & You is donating to Emma’s Footprints. Since 2013, Emma’s has been walking with pregnancy and infant loss families in their grief journeys, providing care and support as they travel down this difficult and often lonely path. Emma’s ensures that no family has to walk alone. Stacy Fraschetti of BNB Financials suggested Emma’s…
Can I Keep Cool Without A/C? Lots of people live without air conditioning. It’s not a necessity but it sure does help on the hot dog days of summer. Especially with the humidity we experience in the Lake Erie region. So if you want to lower your cooling bill and give your HVAC system…
Is an insulation upgrade really that important? Think about it. The problems with an under insulated home may not seem too demanding from the start. But they will eventually worsen and cost you thousands of dollars for repair jobs. So if your living space is experiencing at least a few of the things that we’re…
This month 4002 & You is donating to the Erie County Vietnam Veterans Memorial to assist with the maintenance and upkeep of this memorial. Many are aware that soldiers returning from the war were disrespected in many, many ways upon their return. Thankfully in the past number of years there’s been a turn…
We’re not talking icicles, icicles baby. Icicles has too many syllables. But it’s cool to know that Vanilla Ice is a big fan of spray foam for the same reasons we are. You’ve probably heard Robert Van Winkle a.k.a Vanilla Ice is a high-end home remodeler from his show on DIY Network’s The Vanilla Ice Project. What…
So you’ve contracted professionals and made sure to properly insulate most of your home. But there’s something wrong. The walls are nice and warm but the floors are unbearably cold! What happened? It could be your crawlspace. While this part of the house is basically hidden away, it’s still as important as any room when…
We’ve all seen icicles overhanging a roof edge. Sometimes they’re tiny little shoestring icicles and other times they’re huge widow maker ice chunks. But what’s the difference between icicles and ice dams? Typically you will see icicles before the problem grows into an ice dam. As melting snow flows to the roof edge and then…
This month we are joining everyone raising awareness of breast cancer and supporting those affected by it. Cancer is a disease that has touched every family. Dan Kerchansky and Dominic Pachell share some personal thoughts below. Be sure to encourage your loved ones to be informed and aware of breast cancer’s cause, prevention, diagnosis, treatment…
Spray Foam’s Major Eco-Friendly Qualities The right insulation doesn’t just protect your home from drafts. It also presents a viable solution for going green. So if you’re thinking about upgrading your house’s insulation system into SPF, here are some important things that you should consider. These are some of spray foam’s major eco-friendly qualities. Energy…
10 Major Benefits of Having Spray Foam Insulation Spray foam or SPF (Spray Polyurethane Foam) is a popular choice among many homeowners. That’s because it has a list of amazing advantages. Here are ten of the best benefits of having spray foam insulation inside a home. It saves energy efficiently Spray foam is such an…
Half-Off Labor Special – May 2018 50% Off Labor No obligation to buy! Repaired fascia, soffit and gutter. Fill out this form to get this great offer. If you would rather talk to our representative, call us! Be sure to mention the coupon. Buffalo: 716-695-1010 Erie: 814-898-8517
Our May Awareness Campaign is The ANNA Shelter Kevin Chylinski, Production Manager at Bauer Specialty, has a big heart for animals and nominated the ANNA Shelter as the group awareness campaign for May. Their mission revolves around getting as many pets to loving forever homes. The Association for Needy and Neglected Animals was incorporated as…
We’ve heard of many great scouting experiences from our own Lead LeafGuard Installer, JD McCrory. His family has been in scouting since the boys were Cub Scouts and their oldest son Jake is on track to become an Eagle Scout. From camping, fishing, the derby, and zipline runs they’re always doing some great things to…
Sanfilippo Syndrome or Childhood Alzheimer’s is a progressive and fatal disease affecting 1 in 70,000 children. It is a genetic condition that affects the metabolism of complex molecules and results in severe damage to the entire body, but most significantly to the brain. Children go on to experience progressive dementia similar to Alzheimer’s, stealing away their skills…
Bauer Specialty Family of Companies Support of the American Heart Association Through the story of one little girl this was brought to us and we wanted to help. In an effort to generate community awareness and support the mission of the American Heart Association Bauer Specialty and their connected family of companies is having an…
Using Spray Foam for a Country Home Jesse Law and Mike Yokom completed another spray foam project for a very happy contractor, Martin Seger. Martin’s end customers are going to be so happy they went with spray foam insulation to make their new home super energy efficient and so much more comfortable than traditional insulation…
Is insulation worth it? Don’t take it from us. Here’s what Lois T. from Erie said in her online review posted to a contractor matching service: Description of work We had our entire house insulated with spray foam in the attic area and “airkrete” in brick first floor and 2nd floor slate tile wall areas. They…
Here’s a great example of what improved attic insulation will look like on the outside of a building. These town homes share a common wall but no longer share the same inefficient attic insulation. We were called in to help the homeowners of Townhouse B improve their attic insulation before winter arrived. Peeking into the…
The Erie City Mission’s Urban University Program is such a great idea. The program is open to East Middle School students. They are helping develop and equip emerging student leaders, through hands-on, career focused courses, intentional mentorship and practical faith application. This is for the core of our City’s future and we want to help The…
Sometimes it’s not as simple as just spraying foam to the underside of the roof deck. If the ceiling is vaulted or a cathedral the only option is to open things up from one side or the other. At this customer’s house the best option was to work from the outside and avoid the mess and disruption…
The National Association of Realtors (NAR) and the National Association of the Remodeling Industry released their 2017 Remodeling Impact Report in which they score and report on how consumers view things from home improvement projects completed. The results for insulation upgrades are very favorable and give some great insight into other reasons we don’t often consider…
“I’m very pleased with this job! My thanks to the entire crew.” Valerie V. I got to have a conversation with Valerie recently about work we completed for her home in response to her survey notes and comments. My initial follow-up was to learn who referred Val to our company so we could send them…
We’ve all smelled it, sensed it, felt it. It’s palatable. We’re talking about a damp basement or crawlspace, high moisture levels and vulnerable to mold, pests and decay. The odor is typically caused by the rise in mold spores in the space due to the higher moisture content. Buildings can handle a degree of moisture before…
Attic insulation is the hat that keeps you warm in the winter and cool in the summer. It’s more than just a cost per square foot. The attic needs to be properly prepared before the insulation can be blown-in. Detailing light fixtures, wire penetrations, pipe chases, stairwell openings, open interior soffits, access hatches, pull down…
Most of us have seen the variety of gutter protection devices that clearly don’t work – they’re bent up and coming loose on top of the gutter. Or even better evidence – something growing out of the gutter! We’ve got a great option that really works. Englert’s MicroGuard gutter screen features the latest in micro-filtration technology…
Fixing the rim joist can improve your house’s condition. Image courtesy of EnergyStar.gov. What is a rim joist? You’re sitting on it. This is the the part of your house where the floor joists sit on the foundation walls. Typically you can see this area in your basement when you look up. Case studies* have seen…
Does your grandma usually tell you to zip your coat up? She probably yelled more than told but that’s good because she was right. Running around without a coat is not good in the winter and living in a house without insulation is also uncomfortable. Older homes were often uninsulated because back then the cost…
If you need work done in phases we will be glad to work with you. These pictures from our friends’ home in North East, PA are of their third spray foam project! As they remodel an area at a time we’ve been their insulation partner to help improve the energy efficiency and comfort level a…
It may not sound like it, but our garages need foam insulation too. They’re often overlooked, but they are hardworking spaces that can be even more useful with some insulation attention. A recent project completed by lead sprayer Mike Yokom and Colton Owens is seen here. Another beautiful spray foam installation completed in one day. This…
If you can safely access your attic take a look and see how well it’s dressed. Look down and if you can see the drywall or plaster of your ceiling below and your roof deck isn’t already insulated, your attic needs a makeover! Naked attics cost you tremendous amounts of energy all year round and…
We partnered with a local contractor as they converted a small pole-building addition into functional living space for their customer. The work scope was unique due to the existing construction on a concrete slab. In an effort to protect against possible moisture transfer from the slab into the wall cavities, the barn transformation needed closed-cell…
When you are looking at home insulation, it is important to understand that not all insulation is equal. There are levels of insulation that are given what is called, an R-Value. The R-value is the degree to which the material resists heat flow. The higher the R-value, the better it is at insulating. Let’s talk…
As a homeowner, you know that cleaning your home’s gutters is an important task that you need to do a few times a year. Keep in mind, your gutters shouldn’t get all your attention, your downspouts need some of your care too. Your downspouts are just as important. If they are damaged or inadequate, they…
Take a look at this fiberglass insulation. Do you notice the dirt build up? Take a look at the second image. It is a furnace filter, a dirty one. YUCK! What do these two pictures have in common? Well, when we insulate our homes and businesses, the goal is to stop or significantly reduce air…
Take a look at the latest update on the renovation and restoration of Blanchfield House in Harborcreek, Pennsylvania. In just a few short months, Bauer Specialty stripped the building down to its guts and have replaced windows, walls, siding, and more. Check out the feature in Harborcreek Magazine, Bauer Specialty Winter 2016 here.
When meeting with homeowners about insulation, our goal is to find ways to help them save money on their heating and cooling bills, but more importantly, create a comfortable temperature for their home. We all know that hot air rises, but more to the point, heat is drawn to cold. It is important to understand this when trying…
Spring has sprung! It’s time to see if winter took a toll on your old gutters. They may be clogged and overflowing, or may have holes in them from ice damage or old age. Outdated gutter systems can malfunction and create expensive problems in the future such as: Roof, fascia, and soffit damage Mold growth…
Have you felt like a prisoner in your own home this winter due to icicles hanging overhead? In winter, it’s common to see homes with snow patched roof tops and icicles hanging off the gutters. Unfortunately, if there are icicles on your home it means that heat is escaping. Not only that, but the icicles…
