Video: Color Your Home Green
April 28 2008 - 1:00PM
PR Newswire (US)
Adding insulation will help you stay cool, save energy and be
earth-friendly TOLEDO, Ohio, April 28 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ --
With warm weather just around the corner, Owens Corning (NYSE:OC),
wants to remind homeowners that insulation isn't just for keeping
homes warm in winter. Insulation also keeps homes cooler in summer
by keeping heat outside and conditioned air inside. According to a
recent study by the McKinsey Global Institute, insulation is the
single most cost-effective measure to reduce greenhouse gas
emissions.(1) That gives homeowners another tool to make their
homes more energy efficient and comfortable -- and the planet a
little greener. To view the Multimedia News Release, go to:
http://www.prnewswire.com/mnr/owenscorning/32801/ "Many people
don't realize that the energy used in homes and buildings, much of
it for heating and cooling, is the number one source of greenhouse
gas emissions, using 40 percent of all the energy we produce in the
US. That's more than industry, more than transportation," said Gale
Tedhams, director of sustainability for Owens Corning, makers of
PINK fiberglass insulation. "Conservation should be thought of as
your first fuel because energy you don't have to use is the
cheapest energy you can buy." Finding out if you need more
insulation is easy. Look in your attic -- if you can see the wood
beams of your attic floor, you likely need more. The amount of
insulation needed varies depending on the region of the country you
live in but, in most cases, the Department of Energy recommends
attics be insulted to R-49. The R-value represents thermal
resistance to heat flow, so the higher the R-value, the greater the
insulation effectiveness. Attaining an R-49 value requires 15.5
inches of fiberglass blanket insulation or about 18 inches of blown
insulation. To determine the amount of insulation needed to achieve
recommended R-values and other helpful tips, visit
http://www.insulateyouratticnow.com/. "If we all insulated to R-49,
imagine the difference we could make in reducing greenhouse gas
emissions," said Tedhams. "An estimated 60 million American homes
are under-insulated, and their owners face not only higher energy
costs, they're also emitting up to one half-ton more CO2 every
year(2) than their properly-insulated neighbors." In addition to
adding insulation to your attic, the following tips will help you
to reduce your home's energy usage and carbon footprint. Ventilate
Your Attic A significant part of a home's ability to stay cool
happens in the attic. A properly ventilated attic gives trapped
heat an escape route. It may take a combination of soffit and ridge
vents to do the job but the result will improve overall home energy
efficiency -- and will extend the life of your roof shingles too.
Install a Programmable Thermostat Why cool the house when nobody's
home? A programmable thermostat can automatically lower or raise a
home's air temperature during the day. By regulating the
temperature, homeowners can save up to 10 percent on annual heating
and cooling costs. Plug the Drafts Sealing the envelope of the home
is the first line of defense against air infiltration from
outdoors, so it's important to caulk and weather-strip around all
seams, cracks and openings. Pay special attention to windows and
electrical outlets. Unwanted air leakage alone can raise energy
bills up to 10 percent. Take a Home Energy Audit Understanding how
much energy a home uses helps homeowners determine what changes
will save them the most energy and money. For an easy home energy
audit, check out the Home Report Card.(R) The quiz provides
tailored recommendations for improving home energy efficiency and
can be found at http://www.owenscorning.com/homereportcard. About
Owens Corning Owens Corning (NYSE:OC) is a leading global producer
of residential and commercial building materials, glass fiber
reinforcements and engineered materials for composite systems. A
Fortune 500 company for 54 consecutive years, Owens Corning is
committed to driving sustainability through delivering solutions,
transforming markets and enhancing lives. Founded in 1938, Owens
Corning is a market-leading innovator of glass fiber technology
with sales of $5 billion in 2007 and 19,000 employees in 26
countries on five continents. Additional information is available
at http://www.owenscorning.com/. (1) The McKinsey Global Institute
(http://www.mckinseyquarterly.com/article_abstract.aspx?ar=1911&L2=3).
(2) Estimated 60 million under-insulated homes in 2006 based upon a
2003 Harvard School of Public Health study, The Public Health
Benefits of Insulation Retrofits in Existing Housing in the United
States. CO2 emissions calculation based on an average attic size of
1700 sq. ft. with existing R-19 insulation, averaged over seven
cities in diverse climate regions. The color PINK is a registered
trademark of Owens Corning.
http://www.prnewswire.com/mnr/owenscorning/32801DATASOURCE: Owens
Corning CONTACT: Ried Artis, +1-419-248-5577, or Nathan Roach,
+1-503-295-1922, both for Owens Corning Web site:
http://www.owenscorning.com/
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