World of Concrete January 2019 – Dates & Show Hours
Tuesday – Thursday, January 22nd – 24th, 9:30 am – 5:00 pm
Friday, January 25th, 9:00 am – 12:00 pm
Mar-flex Booth # – S12007
Mar-flex Booth # – S12007
Insulation is one of the most complicated choices builders and architects face during construction. Interior insulation is cost effective, but can reduce usable space and doesn’t protect against water. Exterior insulation is expensive and susceptible to insects. Regardless of the insulation choice, efficiency, toxicity and resiliency must all be taken into account as well. The Mar-flex team has put together a quick “cheat sheet” to outline the differences, advantages and disadvantages of each type of insulation.
ADVANTAGES of insulation on the EXTERIOR of basement walls:
Minimizes thermal bridging and reducing heat loss through the foundation
Protects the waterproofing membrane from damage during backfilling
Serves as a capillary break to moisture intrusion
Protects the foundation from the effects of the freeze-thaw cycle
Reduces the potential for condensation on surfaces in the basement
Conserves indoor space, relative to installing insulation on the interior
DISADVANTAGES of insulation on the EXTERIOR of basement walls:
Costs may be high depending on materials and approach selected
Expensive for an existing building unless a perimeter drainage system is being installed at the same time
May be susceptible to insect infestation, however Mar-flex offers insect resistant materials
Contractors may be unfamiliar with proper detailing procedures that are critical to performance
Buildings with high radon will need a radon mitigations system to use exterior insulation
ADVANTAGES of insulation on the INTERIOR of basement walls:
Interior insulation is much less expensive to install than exterior insulation for existing buildings
Almost any insulation type can be used, however rigid foam EPS is recommended
The space is isolated from the colder earth more effectively than when using external methods
DISADVANTAGES of insulation on the INTERIOR of basement walls:
Many types require a fire-rated covering because they may release toxic gases when ignited
Reduces your usable interior space by a few inches
Doesn’t protect the waterproofing coating like exterior insulation
May become damp if perimeter drainage is poor
We talk a lot about the importance of proper basement waterproofing, but not everyone understands the subject as well as our team of Division 7 experts. Preventing water from damaging foundations is what we think about all day long. It is our business after all, and we consider it the most important factor a property owner should consider.
You don’t have to take our word for it, however. A team of home inspectors from Charlotte recently put together this video which does a great job explaining the importance of proper foundation waterproofing and the risks water poses to below-grade structures.
Mar–flex is not associated with Carolina Home Inspectors. We simply found their video to be an excellent educational resource. Of course, the home they were inspecting faced a very specific set of waterproofing challenges. There are, however, some things that all homeowners should be aware of regarding basement waterproofing. Chief among these is the importance of combining a waterproofing membrane with a drainage board and drainage tiles. We refer to this as a “waterproofing system.” Click here to learn more about how these elements work together to preserve below-grade structures.
You know Mar-flex as a team of unparalleled basement waterproofing professionals, working tirelessly to create the best waterproofing membranes, drainage boards and egress window wells in the world. But we are also serious sports fans, and there are few places that love sports more than Philadelphia.
Philly may be “The City of Brotherly Love.” But when it comes to losing teams, that affection comes in the form of “tough love.”
At Mar-flex, we’re urging compassion for the lovable losers. Yes, dare we say… the cellar dwellers. (Hey, we protect basements, come on, we have to look out for our own.) For us, protecting something below-grade is easy: a waterproofing membrane, drainage board or waterproofing system can get you fixed up easily. And while these below-.500 teams didn’t have to worry about the worst that can happen to a basement, they didn’t have to worry much about winning, either.
So let us celebrate the cellar dwellers with five of our favorites:
The Washington Generals
The Harlem Globetrotters’ favorite punching bag, the Washington Generals, racked up a mind-boggling 13,000 losses to their world-famous opponent. Their last win was in 1971, which caused children in the stands to cry. Tough crowd.
The 2010-11 Cleveland Cavaliers
After LeBron James left Cleveland for sunny Miami, it was a tough period for the Cavs. In 2010-11, the team lost 26 games in a row. The only people who were happy about that were the 76ers, who were no longer stuck alone with that matching record.
Caltech Men’s Basketball
Known much more for excellence in math than proficiency on the hardwood, the ballers of the Caltech’s men’s basketball team racked up losses almost to infinity. Divided by pi and multiplied by the Pythagorean theorem. Or something like that. Yes, 207 losses in a row. The crushing 10+-year streak mercifully came to an end in 2007.
The 2008 Detroit Lions
Only one team in the history of the NFL has gone 0-16. The 2008 Detroit Lions. Although their season was a disaster, head coach Rod Marinelli had one of the all-time great quotes in sports. Desperately trying for a single victory, the embattled HC defiantly said, “My shovel is sharp and my pick is sharp and my will is outstanding.”
The Pittsburgh Pirates
It’s one thing to have a bad year. It’s another thing to have a bad decade-and-a-half. From 1993 until 2009, the Pittsburgh Pirates had losing seasons. This is not only a record for in Major League Baseball, its a record in all of North American sports.
Mar-flex feels the pain of the cellar dwellers. But we do our best to prevent your basement from being a loser. How? Simple: WINNING waterproofing solutions. We can hook you up with a waterproofing membrane, drainage tiles or whatever custom-built solution you need.
Want to turn your basement into a winner? Contact Mar-flex at 1-800-498-1411 for more information about how our technicians can transform your below-grade space into a winner.
If you are looking for an environmentally friendly way to waterproof your basement, Mar–flex has you covered. Consumers from Charlotte to Chicago are discovering that they no longer have to choose between going green and getting the flooded basement blues. Thousands of builders, contractors and architects have been pleased to discover that our greenest products are also among our most effective.
When these products are combined with a drainage tile product, such as our DrainAway line, it forms a foundation waterproofing system that’s as good for the environment as it is for your wallet. A complete waterproofing system combining Fusion UV and ShockWave is eligible for our limited lifetime warranty.
So, how should you choose a sustainable foundation waterproofing product? Seek out products, like those sold at Mar–flex, that meet your needs as well as the needs of the Earth. After all, living in harmony with the natural world is what sustainability is all about.
Whenever a city experiences rapid growth, a building boom is front and center to accommodate all the new professionals coming to town. Welcome to Charlotte, largest city of North Carolina, and home to a growing business hub.
According to Forbes magazine, Charlotte is now the second largest banking center in the United States, only behind New York. Couple that with affordable housing compared to other U.S. metro areas, and Charlotte is an obvious choice for young professionals looking to start their careers—thus leading to an increase in new businesses and homebuilding.
Although Charlotte enjoys a mild, temperate climate year-round, dampness and moisture do not discriminate. These are real problems that threaten the strength and safety of a home or business workplace.
Enter the waterproofing membrane. A simple yet significant solution that can protect a building from the elements and provide the owner with peace of mind. Quality can range with these products, but it’s best not to skimp when battling the destructive capabilities of water and the damage it can cause.
Take for example Mar-flex 5000, a product designed to be applied to any wall foundation, with configurations of water-based or solvent-based. This industry-leading waterproofing technology comes at an affordable price and is produced in an environmentally-friendly manner, as it contains 20% recycled content.
Here’s how it works:
When water reaches the Mar-flex 5000 barrier, the heavy duty, elastomeric emulsion waterproofing membrane wicks away the water and moisture. There is a built-in resistance to freeze/thaw cycles, and it remains flexible because of a polymer concentration within. This delivers a rubber-fortified waterproofing product with decreased permeability and increased durability.
Mar-flex 5000 has been tested and proven effective with nearly every clean, dry and sound substrate. The solvent-based option can be applied in air temperatures as low as 0°F. Its special formulation sprays easily and predictably, producing a viscous, flexible, seamless seal.
Mar-flex 5000 is available in commercial and residential configurations, and both benefit from being paired with other components of a water protection system. Combining the Mar-flex 5000 membrane with an approved Mar-flex drainage board delivers the highest level of protection, and qualifies the product for a limited warranty.
Contact the professionals at Mar-flex to talk over how we can protect your home or place of work. We can discuss a set of solutions that are right for you and designed to help ensure a long life for the structure. Get in touch to discover the protection you need for your home or business.
The City of Brotherly Love certainly knows a thing or two about great architecture. From the American Philosophical Society to the First Bank of the United States, there is no shortage of old, historical buildings that played a part in the forming of the United States. In fact, the Historical Commission of Philadelphia lists 22,000 properties in 15 historical districts. Without question, Philadelphia is famous for its excellent, historical buildings.
But with older buildings comes the responsibility to care for and preserve them. Philadelphians are tough, but so are their winters. Freezing temperatures, sleet, snow and ice can negatively impact structures, and it’s best to be proactive when it comes to protection.
In addition to the historical structures, homes in Philly and the surrounding suburbs also have to contend with the harsh seasonal elements. Whether talking about new homes or repairing older vintage models, fixing the foundation is an important step in protecting your biggest investment.
Mar-flex offers both peace of mind and the protection you need to cover your home. Strength, stability and reinforcement are crucial to combating the elements and guarding against future costly—possibly catastrophic—repairs.
Mar-flex’s line of concrete repair products includes complete crack injection and repair kits, crack injection urethanes, injection ports, port pastes and epoxies. These can be used to help weatherproof and waterproof your home and get ready for the worst that nature can throw at you.
Businesses, too, can utilize the concrete repair products to protect their workplace. Safeguard your office furniture, equipment, computer workstations and more with a solid, reinforced solution to repair all cracks and weak points of your concrete work.
Contact the professionals at Mar-flex to talk over how we can protect your home or place of work. We can discuss a set of solutions that are right for you and designed to help ensure a long life for the structure. Get in touch to discover the protection you need for your home or business.
Philadelphia is one of America’s most historic cities, and its residents rely on foundation waterproofing membranes to keep their homes safe and secure. Mar-flex’s network of basement waterproofing distributors provide homeowners and homebuilders in The City of Brotherly Love with the world’s most advanced technology for preserving below-grade structures.
The result is a perfect marriage of old and new. Philadelphia’s oldest neighborhoods honor America history, and they need to remain intact to draw tourists to the city. That doesn’t mean, however, that these buildings need to remain entirely in the past. Technologies such as Shockwave Drainage Board and Fusion UV offer the best water damage prevention while also preserving the planet. These green waterproofing products are game changing inventions that follow in the footsteps of some of Philadelphia’s most famous historic residents.
If you are interested in finding out more about top of the line Division 7 waterproofing products, visit our list of distributors in Philadelphia.