Maine Coast Construction Blog

Maine Coast Construction’s New Parking Area

mccadmin — Thu, 16 May 2013 13:15:31 +0000

We are getting a new parking area!

Thanks to Marriners and the nice weather that we are having, we are excited to see this project moving forward!

Hope Elephants: Winner of Bangor Savings’ 2013 Community Matters More Grant!

mccadmin — Wed, 08 May 2013 18:48:42 +0000

Congratulations to Hope Elephants for being a 2013 Write-In Winner of the Bangor Savings Community Matters More Grant! For more information about the grant and to see the other winners, please visit http://www.bangor.com/Community-Support/Community-Matters-More.aspx

To read more about the barn we built for Rosie and Opal (Hope Elephants’ residents) click here.

Sweet Peas Taking Donations for Lewiston Fire Victims

mccadmin — Tue, 07 May 2013 12:29:42 +0000

Sweet Peas Consignment Boutique in Rockland is now accepting donations for the Lewiston Fire victims. You can bring donations to 150 Union Street (corner of Union Street and Willow Street) in Rockland during business hours:

Monday – Friday 9-5
Saturday 10-5

Donations will be accepted through the end of the day Saturday. For more information email lilsweetpeasconsignmentbotique@aol.com or call (207) 594-0095.

U-Factor vs. R-Value

mccadmin — Fri, 03 May 2013 18:13:31 +0000

The U-factor and R-value are both measures how much heat (or cold) can pass through a given piece of a building such as a window, wall or floor. The U-factor is the original measurement taken and is used to calculate the R-value. Let me explain…

The U-factor represents how much heat or cold can pass through an object so the higher the U-factor the worse the object (such as a window) is at insulating while the R-value represents how good the object is at insulating so the higher the R-value the better the object is at insulating.

The R-value is calculated using the U-factor’s reciprocal value. A reciprocal value is when you take a fraction and flip it. For example, a U-factor of 0.35 = 35/100 so it’s reciprocal R-value would be 100/35 = 2.9.

The R-value is a better presentation of the data than the U-factor because it increases with the quality of the window and the values are not small fractions. For this reason the R-value is used most often in labeling for windows, etc.

Reference: p. 33 “U-Factor and R-Value: What’s the Difference?” Journal of Light Construction, Vol. 31

Dream Home Progress

mccadmin — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 15:53:52 +0000

Despite the rainy, cold, overcast weather, work continues quickly on a custom Camden home. The spacious basement is shaping up nicely. According to the project manager Mark DeMichele: “This custom home has a ground level or ‘daylight’ basement/garage that opens out to the low end of the property. The entire lower level is heated with radiant in-floor heating. About three-fifths of the lower level consists of the garage, which is designed with three bays; the remainder of the lower level will accommodate utility, storage and shop space.”

Pen Bay Chamber Dream Vacation Raffle

mccadmin — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 14:20:25 +0000

The Pen Bay Chamber is doing a raffle to benefit Youthlinks in Rockland. Enter for a chance to win three nights of being wined and dined in Mid Coast Maine (includes accommodations at the Samoset!)

FMI, visit the chamber website: http://mainedreamvacation.com/MaineDreamVacation

Word Find Winner Announced!

mccadmin — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 19:47:00 +0000

Congratulations to Jessica Farrar for having the winning entry to our Winter and Spring Word Find Contest! We had no winners for December so the March prize had doubled to two $20 gift certificates to EBS.

Another word puzzle is in the works for 2013. If you would like a chance to enter, sign up for our Newsletter here.

Building Someone’s Dream Home

mccadmin — Fri, 29 Mar 2013 17:36:39 +0000

Maine Coast Construction is excited to begin construction on a new home in downtown Camden, ME.

Every good home starts with a good foundation. George C. Hall and Sons has excavated the area so Concrete Services can pour the cement foundation. Stay tuned, we will be posting step by step photos of the project’s progress as it goes from a hole in the ground to a beautiful new home in coastal Camden, Maine.

Maine Coast Construction Open House Rescheduled to April 9th

mccadmin — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 15:59:55 +0000

Due to the snow storm last week, the Open House has been rescheduled to April 9th.

Join us Tuesday, April 9th when Maine Coast Construction will be holding an open house from 9am – 12pm at the Hutchinson Center in Belfast.

Have you been thinking of a renovation or construction project but are not sure what will be involved?

Come to meet some of the MCC team and bring your questions. Whether it is remodeling your kitchen, building a new home or that pesky small handyman project that you just cannot seem to get to; we’re here to help. Bring your questions about commercial and steel projects as well!

You will also see samplings of homes and interiors by Maine Coast Construction; past and present commercial projects including Hope Elephants, Front Street Shipyard, and the Jackson Memorial Library.

Light refreshments will be served. FMI call 236-6000 or email rachel@mainecoastconstruction.com

A Lesson on Insulation

mccadmin — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 16:32:35 +0000

Earlier we covered the topic of ice dams. The culprit of many ice dams can be poor insulation in the attic. Now that the warm weather is on its way it may seem this problem can wait another season but poor insulation can also mean a hotter house on warm days. The question now arises: how do I best insulate my attic? There are many different ways this can be done. Below is a list of popular insulation materials. Usually a combination of insulation types is used in a home.

Type	Material	Appearance	Pros	Cons
Fiberglass	Glass	Fibrous wool / cotton candy. Can be pink, yellow, or white, depending on manufacturer.	Easy to install, inexpensive	Dangerous to breathe (wear a mask when installing), heat and moisture compromise quality, mice will nest in it.
Rockwool (new version)	Minerals	Grey wool blanket	Easy to install, more airtight, safe to install by heat sources, can get wet, nontoxic environmentally friendly material	More expensive than fiberglass insulation (10% or more)
Foam Board	Polyurethane	Foam boards that can be blue, grey, or pink depending on manufacturer.	Easy to install where appropriate.	Rigid insulation is not appropriate for every part of the home.
Blown Insulation	Made out of various materials including cellulous, fiberglass, and minerals	White fluff	Spreads evenly, fills in between outlets, wires, pipes and ductwork, and eliminates gaps in insulation. Good for attic floor.	Need professional with equipment to install.
BIB (Blown in Blanket)	Fiberglass, fabric	White fluff held in place by fabric sheets.	Fills space between studs very well.	Need professional with special equipment to install.
Spray Foam (Open Cell)	Chemical combination. Made up of broken, unclosed bubbles. Soft consistency	Shaving cream	Inexpensive, fills space well, water can pass through (can be con if you want it to block water)	Need professional to install, R-Value is very good, but closed cell is better (see below)
Spray Foam(Closed Cell)	Chemical combinationMade up of dense, closed bubbles. Denser, harder consistency.	Shaving cream	High R value, water and air cannot pass through	Need professional to install, more expensive than open cell

Fiberglass Insulation

When looking at insulation you are going to see a lot of talk about “R-Value”. According to EnergyStar.gov, R-Value is “a measure of insulation’s ability to resist heat traveling through it.” The higher the R-Value the more effective the insulation. A chart on the same website shows homes in Maine to require insulation with an R-Value of 49-60 for the attic walls and 30-60 for the floor, depending on the current amount of insulation in the attic.

http://howtohomeinsulation.com/insulation_basics_types_insulation.html

http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=home_sealing.hm_improvement_insulation_table