Foundation Armor industrial and commercial product lines are now available to DIY consumers and homeowners.

Nashua, New Hampshire (PRWEB) May 18, 2012

Foundation Armor industrial and commercial product lines are now available to DIY consumers and homeowners.

When looking for a concrete sealer or concrete repair kit, consumers often hit the internet or visit their local home improvement stores. They read labels, research products, and ultimately und up with a purchase. Shockingly, more than 38% of homeowners find out 1-5 years down the road that they made the wrong decision. Foundation Armor is making the right decision easier by offering the same products to their industrial, commercial, and residential clients.

Understanding Concrete Sealers

There are hundreds, if not thousands, of concrete sealers on the market; from epoxies and acrylics, to paints and stains, to latex and silicate sealers, and more. Almost every sealer can be categorized as either a surface sealer or a deep penetrating sealer.

Surface sealers, which include epoxies, acrylics, paints, stains, latexes, silanes, siloxanes, and polyesters are applied to the surface of the concrete. They don’t bond to the concrete and need to be applied every 1-5 years. While some surface sealers are referred to as waterproofing sealers, they don’t actually stop water or vapors. They trap then under the surface of the sealer and built up pressures eventually cause the sealer to flake off. “If you want the look of a surface sealer, such as the shiny look epoxies create, or the colorful look paint achieves, apply a permanent, deep-penetrating sealer first and then add a surface sealer to the top,” says Eric Schifone, a New England basement waterproofing specialist.

Deep penetrating sealers, which include primarily silicates, penetrate deep into the concrete. “Not all deep penetrating sealers can be treated equally,” says Foundation Armor Technician Tanya Willette. “Our concrete sealer requires the applicator to mix the sealer with 4 parts warm water. The warm water opens up the capillaries of the concrete which allows the sealer to penetrate up to 6 inches. The sealer then reacts with the free lime to create a crystalline barrier deep beneath the surface. This barrier instantly stops water and vapors. Our concrete sealer also strengthens the concrete to prevent cracking.” When researching deep penetrating sealers it is important to make sure the sealer does not require re-application and that the sealer stops water and vapors.

Choosing the right sealer with prevent costly repairs 1-5 years down the road.

Understanding Concrete Crack Repair Kits

There are several types of concrete cracks and multiple causes for why concrete cracks, but generally concrete cracks fall into one of two categories: cracks that need structural repair and cracks that don’t.

For cracks that need structural repairs, epoxy crack repair solutions work best. Epoxies are stronger than concrete and will help with the structural integrity of the wall or floor being repaired. For cracks that aren’t in need of structural repair, you want a polyurethane. Most non-structural cracks are caused by shrinkage or settling. Polyurethane is strong but flexible. If the concrete shrinks or settles, the polyurethane will flex with the concrete, keeping the crack sealed. If you use an epoxy to repair a crack caused by shrinkage or settling, the next time the concrete moves, the epoxy will crack or a new crack will form.

“Polyurethanes are a bit more complicated than epoxies,” adds Tanya Willette from Foundation Armor. “There are high pressure polyurethanes, low pressure polyurethanes, polyurethanes that can be used on wet cracks, and polyurethanes that can be used on dry cracks. While low-pressure polyurethanes are more commonly found online and in-stores, they aren’t the most effect way to repair a concrete crack. Low pressure polyurethane kits don’t actually have enough pressure to inject the polyurethane solution deep enough into the crack to completely seal the crack. If the crack is not completely sealed, the polyurethane will eventually wear down and the crack will have to be repaired again. High pressure concrete repair kits on the other hand use aluminum ports that are injected into the concrete. The aluminum ports in combination with the high pressure injection guns, push the polyurethane solution directly into the crack and the polyurethane won’t stop until the entire crack has been filled. Once the polyurethane kits the backside of the crack, the polyurethane will travel up the crack instead of out the crack. Without aluminum ports for guidance and without a high pressure gun for force, you don’t have a complete, reliable polyurethane solution.”

Summary

Before choosing a concrete sealer, or concrete crack repair kit, make sure you have a full understanding of the products you are about to purchase. Make sure the solution is permanent and the product is appropriate. Look for professional-grade solutions, which can’t be found in stores.

Tanya Willette

866-306-0246
Email Information

BOSTON (AP) — Massachusetts lawmakers are reviving the debate over whether to require car manufacturers to provide software needed to diagnose car trouble to independent repair shops and vehicle owners, but supporters of the measure also want voters to decide this fall if it doesn’t pass.

The state Senate passed the measure late Thursday night. It now heads to the House of Representatives.

The bill previously passed the Senate in 2010, but failed to come up in the House. It calls for auto manufacturers that sell cars in Massachusetts to provide access to their diagnostic and repair information system through a universal software system that can be accessed by dealers and independent repairs shops, starting in 2015.

Security-related information would not be made available to owners and independent repair shops.

Supporters say the bill would bring savings and convenience to consumers, repair shops and even dealerships when it comes to repairing trade-in vehicles.

Art Kinsman, a spokesman for the Massachusetts Right to Repair Coalition, which represents more than 1,000 Massachusetts mechanics supporting the legislation, said it would provide mechanics and car owners the ability to purchase all repair information. As a result, he said, consumers will have more options for service, including do-it-yourself repairs.

“If they can’t get all of the information, do they ever really own their car?” he said.

But opponents argue that the information is already available to owners and mechanics, and it’s up to the person or shop to invest in the tools and training.

Daniel Gage, a spokesman for the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, said individuals have always had the “right to repair,” and many independent repair shops have the tools and software codes to fix a wide array of vehicles.

He said manufacturers must require dealerships to have updated tools and software to be “service ready,” but that they have no control over small, independent shops.

Additionally, there is no guarantee that cars made before the 2015 start date would be repaired at independent shops, Gage said, as they would not be included in the universal system as proposed under the bill.

“It all sounds great, it sounds like a magic wand,” he said, noting that if passed, the legislation could lead manufacturers to redesign cars across the board in an effort to comply with the Massachusetts law, resulting in higher sticker prices.

Gage also questioned whether the measure would result in lower repair costs, saying the bill has no provision to ensure that any savings are actually passed on to consumers.

Kinsman said the bill has a wide range of support from state residents and that his organization is working to gather enough signatures to ensure the measure will be on the November ballot if the Legislature doesn’t pass it.

“We want to make sure that one way or another, consumers have their say,” he said.

BOSTON–(BUSINESS WIRE)–

Only a little more than a month after consumers and neighborhood
repairers packed a State House hearing room to urge passage of the Right
to Repair legislation, the Massachusetts State Senate late Thursday
evening strongly approved the measure with a few added safeguards that
protect new car dealerships as well as the independent repairers who
have long sought a level playing field.

“We thank Chairman Tom Kennedy and the legislation’s senate sponsor,
Sen. Jack Hart. Without their leadership, consumers would still be
waiting for this step. We are pleased to report to all of the state’s
motoring consumers that because of the Senate’s action their Right to
Repair legislation is one step closer to bringing cost savings and
convenience,” said Art Kinsman, a spokesman for the Right to Repair
coalition.

In the Senate-passed legislation, new car dealers would have the same
protections to obtain identical repair information that independent
repairers seek. These changes ensure dealers derive the same benefits of
Right to Repair as the neighborhood shops.

The legislation passed by the Senate requires car manufacturers to sell
all non-proprietary repair information to local neighborhood car
mechanics, repair shops and new car dealers so they can all repair
vehicles using the same codes provided by the manufacturers.

A study posted on www.cartalk.com
shows that, on average, consumers could save up to $420 per year on car
repairs if local repair shops were able to buy the code data.

“The big car makers have come up with every excuse they can think of and
they are running out of answers as to why they don’t want consumers to
have this data,” said Kinsman. “We applaud the Senate for acting and
look forward to passage in the House and then on to the Governor for his
signature—consumers are waiting,” he added.

More than 100,000 citizens signed the Right to Repair ballot initiative
earlier this year. If the legislature does not pass a final bill, the
state’s consumers will get their own chance to vote—on the November
ballot. Recent polls have shown support level for Right to Repair as
high as 87 percent.

Thousands of independent repairers, the AAA and neighborhood auto parts
shops support Right to Repair. John Paul, the AAA “Car Doctor” and radio
personality, said during recent hearings on the proposal that,
“consumers are enduring expensive dealership costs and the legislature
has the ability to bring relief now. They need to act.”

MISSISSAUGA, ON, May 17, 2012 /CNW/ – Anyone who has ever forgotten to lift the lid before lighting their propane barbecue knows how volatile, and highly flammable, this fuel source can be.  Would you then risk using such a potentially hazardous product in your air conditioning system?

This is exactly what mass marketers and retailers are suggesting that home and building owners do by promoting a hydrocarbon refrigerant “Do-It-Yourself (DIY)” kit as a replacement refrigerant gas for residential or commercial air conditioning systems.  Unlike the non-flammable refrigerants used by a qualified air conditioning technician, hydrocarbon refrigerants are made up of a mixture of propane and isobutene and are extremely flammable similar to the gas in a barbecue tank.

The use of such a flammable refrigerant in a home or building can create a serious fire and explosion risk as the heating and air conditioning systems typically involve combustion flames and spark igniters that are potential ignition sources.  A leak in the refrigerant system could bring flammable vapours in contact with such an ignition source, with potentially fatal consequences.

“With the air conditioning season nearly here, Canadians need to know that flammable refrigerants used in home or business air conditioning systems can create the potential for a serious explosion and fire, which could result in injury or death” stated Warren Heeley, President of The Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Institute of Canada (HRAI).

In addition to the potential for fire and explosion, the refrigerants used in these DIY kits are not approved for use in air conditioning systems already installed in the home or business and their use could cause environmental damage if the existing refrigerants in these systems are not properly recovered.  Improper mixing of existing refrigerant with the DIY hydrocarbon refrigerant could also have a negative impact on the operation of the air conditioning system, potentially causing added repair or replacement expenses to the home or building owner.

Prior to purchasing these hydrocarbon refrigerant DIY kits, home and business owners should be fully aware of the potential hazards and liability of using hydrocarbon refrigerants in air conditioning systems.  Is the risk of fire, explosion and environmental damage as well as the potential degradation of the air conditioning system worth saving a few dollars?  Or are some jobs best left to the experts?

Click on the link for additional information about hydrocarbon refrigerants.  To locate a qualified contractor to service your air conditioning system, visit www.hrai.ca or call 1.877.467.HRAI (4724).

Image with caption: “The Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Institute of Canada (HRAI) (CNW Group/The Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Institute of Canada (HRAI))”. Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20120517_C8809_PHOTO_EN_13911.jpg

SCRANTON and ALLENTOWN, Pa., May 17, 2012 /PRNewswire/ – Nobody likes to be affected by unexpected costs, especially in today’s economy, yet homeowners have to save for and manage unplanned expenses many times a year. From a leaking gas line to a new blower for a central air conditioner to a malfunctioning circuit breaker or switch, unexpected utility and appliance repair costs can be a constant worry for homeowners as they can amount to thousands of dollars.

A new program available to homeowners in the Scranton/Allentown area and the surrounding counties helps manage unplanned gas line repair bills. Service Protection Group designed the Extra Service Protection (E.S.P.) Total Gas Line Protection program, which allows homeowners to pay a small fee each month to ensure that when a gas line needs to be repaired, they are prepared. Service Protection Group quickly assigns a local pre-qualified and insured contractor to the repair AND picks up the bill up to $3,000 annually.

E.S.P. Gas Line Plus plan customers pay $3.99 each month and receive coverage for repairs on gas lines within the home. Should a section of pipe, a flex connector or valve need repair, the E.S.P. Gas Line Plus plan will cover up to $3,000 in parts and labor repair costs each year, as well as up to $250 in restoration reimbursement (drywall, paint, etc.).  Similar programs are available for electric line and appliance repairs, and can be found at www.serviceprotection.com. 

“Service protection programs are designed to provide homeowners with peace of mind and to save them money during unexpected home repair costs like gas line repairs,” said Scott MacDonald, president of Service Protection Group, part of NiSource Inc. “When a gas line needs to be repaired, homeowners need it fixed right away, and these programs provide simple, quick and easy access to local, qualified independent contractors.”

More information about all of the E.S.P. programs available in Pennsylvania is available at www.esp-serviceprotection.com. To enroll, homeowners can call the Service Protection Group at 1-866-967-8039. Contractors looking to pre-qualify to participate in these programs can contact 1-866-717-7715 or visit the company website. 

Repair Cost Examples – E.S.P. Has you Covered

About Service Protection Group

Service Protection Group provides service plans to help homeowners manage the unexpected repair costs of natural gas, electric and water line systems, as well as HVAC and kitchen and laundry appliances. Service Protection Group is a subsidiary of NiSource Inc. a Fortune 500 energy holding company with 3.8 million customers. Service Protection Group also carried an A+ rating with the BBB as an accredited business. More information can be found at www.esp-serviceprotection.com.

VAN NUYS, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–

As a steady increase in the price of a common air conditioning
refrigerant prompts a spike in maintenance costs for homeowners across
California and the nation, the California Home Service Contract
Association (CHSCA) reports home service contracts are increasing in
value.

On Jan. 1, 2010, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) placed a ban
on the manufacture of new air conditioners using R-22, a refrigerant
more commonly known as Freon®, because of its ozone depleting effects.
The use of R-22 was not banned, but allowances were dictated on its
future manufacture and in order to service existing home air
conditioners.

Then on Jan. 4 of this year, the EPA proposed a rule that, if adopted,
would significantly reduce production and distribution of Freon® by as
much as 50 percent. This has significantly increased, and in many cases,
more than doubled the price of Freon® in recent weeks, according to the
CHSCA.

“The majority of the time our industry repairs an existing air
conditioning system, R-22 is involved in that repair,” Jeff Powell,
chairman of the CHSCA, said. “That means the cost of repairing air
conditioners has gone up significantly. However, because home service
contracts cover service and repair to existing systems, and providers
have generally not increased the price of those contracts, the value to
consumers has increased.”

Home service contracts generally provide service, repair or replacement
for items such as dishwashers, ovens, disposers, electrical and plumbing
systems – and most importantly, heating, ventilation and air
conditioning systems. Many home service contract providers also offer a
menu of optional items such as pool and spa equipment, well pumps, and
free standing appliances such as refrigerators and clothing washers and
dryers for an additional fee. Contracts do not cover pre-existing
conditions, but provide service, repair or replacement for failures
arising due to normal wear and tear during the contract period.

To learn more about home service contracts and providers in California,
please visit http://www.homeservicecontract.org/california.htm.

About CHSCA

Members of the new CHSCA, which provide approximately 95 percent of all
home service contracts in California, include 2-10 Home Buyers Warranty,
American Home Shield Corporation, BPG Home Warranty, Fidelity National
Home Warranty Company, First American Home Buyers Protection, HMS
National/Cross Country Home Services, Inc., Home Security of America,
Inc., Home Warranty of America, Inc. and Old Republic Home Protection
Co., Inc.

About the National Home Service Contract Association

The NHSCA is a non-profit 501(©) (6) industry trade organization of
member companies serving home service contract providers and consumer
interests throughout the United States. To learn more about the NHSCA
and to find answers to the most common questions regarding the purchase
of home service contracts, visit www.homeservicecontract.org.