Volpe Enterprises Inc. recently purchased the 40,000 SF facility at 217 Church Rd Upper Gwynedd Township North Wales, Montgomery County, PA. The Church Rd site was the former home to Safeguard a Deluxe Corporation who had been a fixture in Montgomery County for over twenty years until closing their operation in 2009.

In 1975, Gary Volpe formed Volpe Roofing, Incorporated. After graduating from Pierce Junior College with a Bachelor’s degree in Business, Gary and his wife Janet continued to grow Volpe Roofing to included siding, windows, gutters and doors. In 1993, Gary & Janet formed Volpe Enterprises, Inc. to encompass all facets of home renovation.

Today, they are the General Manager & President of Volpe Enterprises, Inc. along with their three sons Michael, Stephen and David – Volpe Enterprises plans to expand their presence into the Bucks, Lehigh and Southeastern area of PA. The new North Wales showroom with state of the art displays is planned said Gary Volpe- “Our new location in Upper Gwynedd will be completely refurbished in a way as to display many of the products we install. However, the best will be inside with walk through kitchen and bathroom displays and products you can see and touch. Our trained personnel will help design your dream project for your home. You can count on Volpe Enterprises to assist you with the smallest repair job or larger projects like an addition to your home. I encourage you to become part of the Volpe family of satisfied customers”. Continued growth is expected as Volpe builds on their motto of: Quality, Honesty, and Integrity.

Nick Adams of Jackson Cross Partners, LLC represented the Seller, William and Joe Wildman. The Transaction was financed by Univest Bank of Souderton, PA.

What Are Ice Dams?

Ice dams are formed when heat from the inside of a home escapes into the attic and warms the roof decking during the winter. This heat, combined with heat from the sun, can melt snow on the roof. Melting snow on the upper roof and in the valleys then runs down toward the eaves as water. When it reaches the cold eaves and gutters it refreezes. The continual thaw and re-freeze process creates ice dams. The result is water backing up under the roof shingles or behind fascia boards where it can soak through the roof decking or wall sheathing, causing damage to attics, ceilings and walls.

Ice Dam Defense

There are three ways that Volpe Enterprises, Inc. can help defend against the damage ice dams cause: insulation, ventilation and water-proofing shingle underlayment. All three work together. Insulation keeps heat from escaping from your home’s living space into your attic. Ventilation removes the heat and helps keep the roof deck evenly cool to help prevent snow from melting on the roof. Finally, waterproofing shingle underlayment, such as WinterGuard,™ is laid across the roof before roof shingles are applied. WinterGuard is warranted against leaks from dams that do form on the roof.

With existing roofs, waterproofing shingle underlayment is only an option if you remove the existing shingles or are building a new addition. Regardless, Volpe recommends increasing the insulation R-value in the attic with blown-in fiberglass insulation and a ventilation system can usually be added to your attic easily.

Insulation

An attic insulated to today’s energy standards with fiberglass insulation minimizes heat escape through the ceiling, virtually eliminating the possibility of snow melting and refreezing at the base of the roof. If your home was built before 1980, chances are it needs more attic insulation. Volpe Enterprises, Inc. recommends that you have at least 18 inches or R-49 in your attic. R-value is the resistance to heat flow of a material. The higher the R-value, the greater the insulating power.

Ventilation

The second thing to look for in your attic is the amount of ventilation that you have. It is important to have ventilation in the attic so any heat lost from the interior of the home is drawn up and out of the attic. Adequate attic ventilation will help the roof deck stay cool. Another benefit of having your attic ventilated is that it allows for moisture that rises into the attic from things such as bathing, cooking and the laundry to escape. Unchecked moisture can promote mold, mildew, and wood rot. There are two common ways to ensure that excess moisture or heat can escape to the outside. One way is to use a power or mechanical ventilation system. The other way is through a natural, or static, ventilation system. A power ventilator is an electric powered fan installed at the roof or gable that runs by a thermostat or humidistat when the attic needs ventilation. Natural or static ventilation systems consist of simple vent or covered openings in your attic. These are typically ridge vents, gable, eave, or roof vents. Volpe Enterprises, Inc. agrees that externally baffled ridge vents combined with vented soffits are a very effective method for ventilating an attic. (Call us today to have it installed)

Where older construction doesn’t permit ridge and soffit ventilation, powered fans can be a good alternative. A properly designed ventilation system must have both intake vents in the soffit or in the eaves at the lower part of the attic, as well as exhaust ventilation, such as ridge vents, high in the attic at or near the ridge. Cooler, dryer outside air typically enters through eave vents near the attic floor, forcing existing moisture-laden or heated air out through vents placed high on the roof or gable. By ensuring proper insulation and ventilation, you will run less risk of the formation of ice dams, and you will substantially reduce the likelihood of damaging your attic components.

Waterproofing Underlayment

If you are building a new home, or re-roofing an older home, you should also insist that waterproofing shingle underlayment be installed before your roof shingles are applied. As mentioned earlier, it is completely resistant to water and, as such, is a critical last line of defense against leaks, preventing backed up water from getting into your home wherever it is applied. CertainTeed WinterGuardTM is warranted to prevent water penetration for the warranted life of the new asphalt shingles applied over it (up to a maximum of 50 years). While shingle underlayment does not prevent the formation of ice dams, it will prevent backed up water from getting into the house.

Special Cases

Many new homes feature cathedral or vaulted ceiling roofs and skylights. Both present special cases for insulation that CertainTeed recommends you discuss carefully with Volpe Enterprises, Inc. Insulation manufacturers like CertainTeed have created high-performance fiber glass batts that are designed specifically for cathedral ceilings to provide higher R-values per inch than standard fiber glass batts. In the case of skylights, quality workmanship and attention to detail are important in preventing ice dams and condensation which often lead to leaks. To avoid problems, Volpe can properly insulate around the skylight and will use a moisture retarder to prevent condensation. In addition, applying waterproofing shingle underlayment around the skylight opening is recommended.

Warranty

All shingle manufacturers exclude from warranty coverage leaks caused by water backup behind ice dams, which can form on the eaves of the roof. These leaks can be easily prevented. Proper ventilation will minimize the chances of ice dam formation, and WinterGuardTM waterproofing shingle underlayment, properly installed, will prevent leaks in spite of ice dam formation and will also prevent leaks from wind-driven rain.

CertainTeed offers you the broadest range of color and style choices. But you’ll see it’s not style over substance. You’ll get a roof that’s made from the highest quality materials and backed by a strong warranty program. It’s our promise to you: quality made certain, satisfaction guaranteed.

The above article is courtesy of:

CertainTeed Corporation

www.certainteed.com

The legislation extends the 25C heating and cooling equipment and building envelope tax incentives for another year but at reduced levels. The new bill extends eligibility to the end of 2011, but reduces the incentive to the original 10% up to $500.  Included are provisions which:

• limit window incentives to $200;
• limit oil and gas furnace and boiler incentives to $150, plus an additional $50 for efficient furnace fans;
• limit water heater and wood heating system incentives to $300;
• loosen the qualification for window incentives (ENERGY STAR windows now qualify);
• and tighten the specifications for oil furnaces and boilers and gas boilers to 95% efficiency, up from the 90% efficiency in current law.

Congress is likely to consider further extensions of these incentives into 2012 and beyond next year, and TIAP will provide updates as they become available.  The existing homes incentives are likely to receive a major overhaul, and there are also likely to be discussions about improving incentives for energy-efficiency investments in commercial buildings, incentives which under current law continue until the end of 2013.

Volpe Enterprises suggests that you evaluate your roofer as carefully as you would a doctor or lawyer. It is certain that you will want a roofing contractor who employs capable applicators to install the shingles. It is also clear that you will need to look closely at the proposal offered, the products selected, and the price/value relationship of the entire package.But what criteria can you use to decide if the contractor is a true professional who will stand behind his work? While there is not a single, clear-cut answer, there are a number of indicators that you can look for when going through the evaluation process.

Interview the contractor

You cannot choose a professional roofer by looking at an estimate and comparing prices.

Allow yourself an hour, more or less, to sit down with each contractor. You might be speaking with a salesperson or even the owner. Both of you need time to ask questions and explore the possibilities. You will be surprised at how many options you have.

Good contractors take pride in their work, and so should the salesperson representing the company.

• The salesperson should show pride and enthusiasm in discussing other jobs.

• The salesperson should be knowledgeable about other jobs (which shows his amount

of involvement in the actual work).

Volpe Enterprises Suggests To Ask 7 Questions

1. What is the full name and address of the company?

Getting the complete address of the company can be an important factor in determining a company’s time in business. If a post office box is given, ask for a full street address as well. Try to hire a contractor that has an office nearby. The likelihood of better service and quicker response time is greater if the company is based near your home. (Volpe Enterprises, Inc. is located 3238 W. Germantown Pike Norristown, PA 19403)

2. Does the company carry insurance?

A contractor should carry comprehensive liability insurance and workers’ compensation insurance to protect you in the event of a roofing accident. This can be verified by asking to see the contractor’s certificates of insurance (workers’ compensation and general liability). Let the contractor know you want current certificates sent to you by the insurer before the job is started. Contractors may also carry other kinds of insurance including health, life and auto insurance. Bland assurances of insurance coverage may refer to these. Don’t be confused. Ask for proof of general liability and workers’ compensation coverage for roofing projects. Worker accidents. Be aware that if a worker is injured on your property, the homeowner might be held liable for all costs unless the employee is covered by workers’ compensation insurance. Hospital bills for serious accidents can be extraordinarily expensive. (Volpe Enterprises, Inc. has been fully insured for your protection since 1970.)

3. Is the company a licensed or credentialed contractor?

When you pose this question, you are, in effect, asking if the contractor is licensed by your state and/or city. PA now requires all contractors to have and be able to provide a license number. You can find out if your contractor is lincensed by searching on the attorney generals website. ( http://www.attorneygeneral.gov/hicsearch/ ) (Volpe Enterprises, Inc. license number is PA4947)

4. How long has the company been in business?

Needless to say, longer is usually better. Under three years may signal an unstable business or one low on the learning curve. On the other hand, everybody has to start somewhere. References will be helpful to double check any business, and are especially important when dealing with a new business. A newer business may have a great future but it is only reasonable to be more careful when considering its referrals. The failure rate of small businesses in the first three years is very high. (Volpe Enterprises, Inc. has been in business since 1970)

5. Will the company provide referrals or references from previous jobs?

• Ask for photos of completed work, if available. Keep in mind, however, that many roofers will not have photos. (Visit our FaceBook Page to see some of our Before & After Photos) http://www.facebook.com/pages/Norristown/Volpe-Enterprises-Inc-Complete-Home-Renovations/137708369574989

• Request a list of 10 names and phone numbers of recent customers (last 12 months). It is not necessary to check all 10, but you will be able to pick randomly from the list those you do call. (Volpe Enterprises is able to provide a list for thousands of their satisfied clients.)

6. What is the company’s workmanship warranty?

Typically, contractor workmanship warranties are for one year or more. Longer warranties are not necessarily more valuable than shorter warranties. The length of the warranty is less important than the intent and ability of the roofer to stand behind his warranty. That is best evaluated using customer referrals. Ask his customers specifically for information about these four things:

1) Did he perform his work on a timely basis?

2) Was he responsive when asked for information and changes?

3) Did he act as if he cared about the customers interests?

4) And finally, would you call the company trustworthy?

The roofer will warrant his workmanship. The manufacturer, on the other hand, warranties the roofing material against defects in manufacturing. Thus, two warranties will cover the shingle roof system. Understand them both. Ask for a copy of the manufacturer’s warranty pertaining to the specific shingle products you are considering. Several roofing manufacturers offer a variety of programs to professional contractors that establish their credentials as a knowledgeable roofing company. (Volpe Enterprises, Inc. holds the highest qualification with Certainteed & GAF.

7. What is the company’s track record for solving customer complaints?

• Try to find out how your contractor handles problems when they do arise. Request a referral from a job that involved a complaint.

• Ask the contractor if he has ever lost a job-related court case.

• Ask if his contractor’s license has ever been suspended and why.

Also, in talking to the appropriate authorities, such as the Better Business Bureau and licensing departments, find out if any complaints have been filed against the contractors whom you have interviewed. Many contractors in business for any length of time have been involved in a dispute. Ask how the dispute was resolved, to test your contractor’s reputation. (If any dispute does arise Volpe Enterprises it is handled amicably.)

Special Thanks to Certainteed for this article. www.certainteed.com