I am writing this letter to you as you attend these sales presentation's so as to warn you of the hazards you will encounter from the purchase of these products. I purchased the Utility Shield in May of 2009 and have checked all my gas and electric bills till January of 2010 and have shown NO savings. (Actually my usage has been more with the exception of a couple of weeks that I was away on vacation and set my thermostat to vacation.) They say you can get a $1500.00 tax savings by installing this product but beware and ask them to produce the documentation that you will need for your tax professional, and also check with your tax professional before you purchase this product. Also ask if this product is Energy Star Rated. This is one of the complaints stated by many people who purchased this product. They also show you a performance guarantee which states Certificate of 5 year full refund, but they fail to tell you about the small print which states you only get back a portion of your investment based on what they say you saved. (A copy of this certificate is enclosed). They also say that they have a company policy of no refunds ?, which I found out when I called them about getting a refund because I saw no savings since May 2009. After my many conversations with company the only thing they would do for me is refund one third of the purchase price and give me a free power mizer, which they say will reduce my power consumption, but that will not solve the original problem of the Utility Shield not working. The power mizer will not show much in savings unless you have a lot of motors which take a lot to start as in factories or in small businesses. You should beware when he shows you the material and make sure he shows you both, one for the water heater and one for the attic. The one for the attic is thinner and reflective on both sides. If you go to google.com and type in Utility Management Association and read the complaints you will see many, including how moisture can collect under this material and cause mold on your ceilings because your insulation cannot breath properly, also the reflectivity is reduced from the dust that collects on the top surface. This company is not a member with or accredited with the Better Business Bureau in Mississippi. I do not feel that this company is dependable in solving the problem, the service is below average and the product definitely has not worked as they promise.
I would ask you to check out the internet and make your own decisions, but you need to do it before you purchase this product. They will make an appointment to come over to see your house which will be a day or two after the meeting, if you decide to accept by filling out a appointment card. During the presentation ask these questions and make sure you understand and get the right answers before you think about purchasing this product. If you decide to purchase ask if you can get a 6 month trial and if no improvement is achieved can you get a full refund. Ask for it in writing. They say you could save upto 45% MAYBE. I hope this will help you in your decision and enjoy your free dinner.
Company Business Name: Utility Management Assc.
Country of complaint: United States
Address: Belden, Mississippi
Phone: 1-662-844-5532
As a reflective insulation contractor of 30 yrs I am troubled by the lack of expertize that some companies have with these products.
Although it is possible to reduce ac usage by 50%, that is not usually the case.
You are probably having moisture problems because they did not use a perforated material. The material should have been laid loosely on the bulk insulation.
I think your had a marginal moisture problem to begin with because I doubt if you have ridge and soffit vents. You should not have moisture problems if proper material, installation and attic venting is correct.
The reflective insulation WILL NOT cause an increase in fuel bills, even if improperly installed.
As far as dust is concerned, you would have to have a rather thick layer to adversely affect the performance.
If you feel you have to remove the material I would suggest mixing ceramic insulating beads with paint and spraying the attic side of the roof sheathing AND rafters along with the gable ends. This relatively inexpensive and works about as good as reflective insulation. You will not have a dust problem.
Go to koolcoat.com. Chuck, the owner is very knowledgeable and can help, by phone, if necessary.
The thickness of the material does not affect the performance as it is the surface of the material that does all the work.
UMA cheated me out of $1800.00 in Visa rebates they promised me in writing. Please do not do business with this Company, for they are dishonest!
Paul