We are very excited to extend our amazing Facebook Fan Referral Contest into June! This exclusive contest is only open to our friends who have “liked” our page. Here’s the deal, the first twelve Atlantic Facebook fans who refer a client that does business with us will receive a suite night at Camden Yards! The lucky twelve winners will eat, drink, and cheer on the O’s from a box in the best ballpark in America!

Not a fan yet? Click here to become one. Then refer your friends, family, or anyone you know in the Baltimore area in need of help with their residential remodeling project to Atlantic Remodeling and you could be a winner!

Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter @AtlanticRemodel for home tips and the latest updates on contests and promotions. Who knows, maybe our next contest will be exclusively for our Twitter followers?

We are very excited to be  nominated for Baltimore’s Best Contractor Website Award on the Examiner.  Finalists were chosen based on site design, content, interactivity, and ease of use. The winner will be chosen based on an online voting process. The race is very tight, so we need your help! Please click here to vote for the Atlantic website and help us win. You can vote up to once per day. Every vote counts and we really appreciate your support!

We are very proud to announce that our president and CEO, Bertram Lebhar IV, is the only metro-Baltimore executive to be been named to Remodeling Magazine’s Big50! Remodeling Magazine is a national trade publication with a reader base of more than 80,000 industry professionals. Since 1986, the magazine has honored fifty outstanding remodeling company owners from across the country that “have set exceptionally high standards for professionalism and integrity through exemplary business practices, craftsmanship, and impact in their community or the industry at large. Big50 remodelers run successful, often growing, companies of various sizes that have taken the lead in raising industry standards,” said Jim Cory, editor of Replacement Contractor magazine and a member of the judging committee.
Bert received his award at last week’s Remodeling Leadership Conference in Alexandria, VA.

Specifically, Bert was honored in the sales and marketing category for his outstanding leadership, commitment to customer service, and implementation of Atlantic’s trademark Red Cent Guarantee. Cory said,  “Someone like Bert Lebhar, who wants to build a company around customer service and offers a ‘red cent’ guarantee, is worthy of commendation.”

To learn more about the 2010 Big 50 award winners, check out the May issue of Remodeling. We’re sure that you can find more than a few copies around our offices these days. Congratulations Bert on this well-deserved honor!

We would like to thank all of our friends for their generous donations to this year’s SPCA March for the Animals. We had a wonderful time as a presenting sponsor at this year’s event, held April 18 in Baltimore’s Druid Hill Park. The event brought thousands of animal lovers out for a wonderful cause and a fun-packed day of demonstrations, contests, entertainment, and a 1.5 mile walk to benefit the Maryland SPCA. Our team of walkers raised nearly $1,500 to contribute to the astounding $350,000 raised at this year’s event!

The Maryland SPCA is one of the nation’s oldest animal welfare organizations, founded in 1869 by a group of Baltimore citizens who were concerned about the welfare of the City’s work horses. The Maryland SPCA adoption center adopts out over 3,000 needy and unwanted pets each year and receives no government funding. Atlantic is proud to sponsor a special SPCA program wherein anyone can adopt an animal over seven years of age for free. Older animals need good homes too! For more information about pets available for adoption and the SPCA’s great work visit their web site.

Unfortunately for many of us, due to the heavy snow load, we will experience water infiltration at our rooflines.  This will occur more than likely due to “ice damming”.  Ice damming is caused when the snow and ice sitting on the higher portions of the roof begin to melt.  Since hot air rises, the higher parts of the roof will melt first, while the lower portions will remain cold.   As the water freezes, the ice clogs the gutter and forms a “dam”.  The are a few things that you, as a homeowner can do to help/prevent this problem:

1.  Inspect attic every 4-6 hours to look for water

2.  Use snow rake/step ladder and rake to rake snow in downward motion off roof

3.  Pour calcium chloride (salt) lightly into gutters to melt ice.  Do NOT get ANY on roof shingles, as it will eat away at shingles

4.  Aim a fan in attic directly at area where leak is coming from, at higher portion of roof.  This will cool the warmer air/section of roof and help prevent snow/ice from melting

Lastly, if you still see water coming through roofline, do not panic.  Put buckets/towels under areas to prevent collateral damage.  Remember that homes and building codes in the Mid-Atlantic are not made for 4-5 feet of snow in one week.  Once the snow has all melted, use a fan to dry out the wet areas.  There should not be any permanent damage done.  For any greater concerns, contact a roofing professional for an inspection.