Oct 14, 2011 | Insulation
Attic Before TAP
This past summer we experienced extreme heat in Atlanta. The rising temperatures not only put a strain on our bodies and outdoor activities but it also put a strain on our energy bills as well. I have been in my home for 8 years and this summer was the highest my energy bill has ever been in the summertime. And if last year’s winter was any indication of how bitter the winter will be…then we’re in for another cold one in the coming season. Luckily, Northwest Exterminating provides a solution to the rising energy bills due to the extreme temperatures we’ve recently faced in the summer and winter times. Northwest offers attic insulation that not only lowers your energy bills but protects your home from pests as well.
Attic After TAP
TAP Insulation, or Energy Star Insulation, is a loose-fill cellulose insulation that is put into your attic. The insulation is made of 87% recycled newsprint which makes it one of Northwest’s GREEN services. TAP is the only pest control product on the market that carries an Energy Star Rating. The insulation allows you to reduce your heating and cooling bills up to 38% by keeping your home at a comfortable temperature year round. Besides the energy savings and pest protection it also provides sound barrier qualities.
If you’d like to read more about how to insulate an attic with TAP Insulation call Northwest Exterminating at 888.466.7849 or visit us ONLINE.
Feb 11, 2011 | Going Green, Insulation, Pest Control
Our own, David Niles, recently wrote an article for The Cherokee Consumer Connection. Check it out below:
Winter Pests Love Your Home
By David Niles
Winter weather is a time where pests want to hide in the warmth of your home. Most folks think of rats and mice, but many other pests like ants are also prone to hiding indoors in the wintertime.
Rats, mice, and squirrels love to nest in attics during the winter. They burrow through the insulation and huddle around furnaces. They can be especially annoying by scratching in the ceiling and walls, keeping you up all night. They can also turn your attic into a disaster zone by contaminating the insulation with feces and urine.
It is a nasty thought to think of all the airborne contaminates floating around the attic and into the HVAC system of your home. These rodents need to keep their teeth sharp and constantly gnaw on anything to sharpen their teeth. They chew on wires and in some cases have led to house fires.
Raccoons, opossums, and bats can also contaminate and destroy attics. These critters can be eliminated with proper exclusion work. Winter is a great time to ensure all entry points into the home are sealed off. Many do not realize there is a gap between the shingle line and the gutter line, the usual entry point into the home for unwanted pests. A good exterminator can seal off these areas so animals can no longer get in these gaps.
Roaches and silverfish enjoy huddling in the warmth of attic insulation, and many homes see an influx of these two pests during the winter. Cockroaches also spread disease, and their droppings and saliva can trigger asthma attacks, especially in young children.
Winter is also a great time to consider the amount of insulation in your attic. A low amount can lead to higher energy bills with all the heat escaping right through your attic. The lower the R-value (thermal resistance) in your attic the higher the odds that you are spending too much on energy costs and wearing down your HVAC system faster.
Northwest Exterminating provides a pest control-insulation product called TAP Insulation. TAP stands for Thermal Acoustical Pest Control. This product keeps pests out of your attic and reduces energy bills, while keeping a good sound barrier in the attic. Unlike fiberglass insulation, this product is 87% recycled newsprint and is a better fire retardant than fiberglass. The usual savings on energy bills is 20-38% with the Energy Star rated insulation. This material is created with boric acid built into it to repel pests and must be installed by a professional with a pest control license.
David Niles is an inspection specialist with Northwest Exterminating in our Canton service center
Jan 7, 2011 | Insulation
This is a blog that was originally posted in October 2011 but with record low temperatures we thought it was worth a re-post!
Below is a photo from a customer who recently had TAP Insulation installed in their attic. This picture was taken in late October of 2010 during one of our early cold snaps.
House without TAP (left) vs. House WITH TAP (right)
The house on the right belongs to our customer. Notice that his roof is still covered in ice while his neighbor’s house is thawed out. The reason for this is that the TAP Insulation on our customer’s house is keeping all of the warm air trapped into the living areas instead of escaping through the attic. When the warm air from your heating system escapes from the attic, it melts the ice on the roof which means that all of the hard work that your heating system is doing is not being used efficiently. Properly insulating your attic can save you between 20-38% on your energy bills by ensuring that your HVAC system is not being overworked.
For more information on TAP Insulation click HERE.
