ENERGY STAR Product Stops Energy Loss through Wood Framing
BEACH CITY, Ohio, June 6 /PRNewswire/ -- The EPA's ENERGY STAR program
reports that the average American household spends more than $1,900 each year
on energy bills, and that figure is destined to climb. Doors and windows are
among the most popular ENERGY STAR building products recommended for
replacement because homeowners are well aware of their insulating value, home
energy savings potential and return on investment. But few homeowners are
aware that insulated siding is an ENERGY STAR product that can generate even
greater home energy savings by reducing consumption by up to 20%.
Insulated siding is home siding that includes a rigid foam insulation,
fused behind the exterior surface of the siding panel. Because the insulation
is precision cut and contoured to fill the gap between the siding and home,
insulated siding delivers an average system R-value* of 3.96, more than triple
that of any other exterior cladding resulting in home energy savings. In
comparison, popular products like fiber cement, brick and manufactured stone
veneer offer almost no insulation, with average R-values of 0.15 to 0.62.
Pat Culpepper, President of Progressive Foam Technologies, Inc., the
inventor of insulated siding, describes the product as the "fifth dimension of
home energy savings." "People know about the four most common ways to
insulate their home -- by upgrading doors and windows, and sealing the roof
and foundation. But the wood framing within their walls is a significant area
that most people fail to address," said Culpepper. "Up to 40% of energy is
lost through the wood studs, which conduct heat and cold. That's the fifth
dimension of home energy savings."
Wall studs make up 25% of the wall surface of an average home. "That's
like having one whole wall in your home that is not insulated," according to
Culpepper. "Each of those studs is a thermal bridge that allows warm or cool
air, depending on the season, to pass right through the wall. Imagine the
home energy savings if you closed that gap."
Insulated siding breaks that thermal bridge by insulating continuously
over the framing of a home, where temperature loss is greatest. "That gives
homeowners a home energy savings of up to 20%, along with a beautiful exterior
and almost no maintenance," said Culpepper.
Insulated Siding: Return on Investment
Insulated siding typically costs 20-30% more than traditional siding, but
homeowners can earn the investment back by reducing what they spend to heat
and cool their homes. And according to the National Association of Home
Builders (NAHB), 51% of recently surveyed home buyers said they were willing
to invest $5,000-$10,999 in their homes if energy costs could be reduced by
roughly $1,000 a year.
In today's environment, consumers have come to recognize that installing
ENERGY STAR products like insulated siding can make a big difference in
conserving energy, reducing their carbon footprint and saving money.
Insulated siding is available through a range of premium siding
manufacturers including Alcoa Home Exteriors, Alside, CertainTeed, Crane
Performance Siding, Heartland Building Products, Mitten Inc.,
Norandex/Reynolds, KP Building Products, Revere Building Products, RMC/Style
Crest and Variform. Fullback Technology, the application of contoured, high-
performance EPS foam to any exterior siding product, is manufactured by
Progressive Foam Technologies, Inc. at its headquarters in Beach City, Ohio.
For further information, go to www.chooseinsulatedsiding.com.
* R-value is the recognized numerical measure of the ability of an
insulation product to restrict the flow of heat and, therefore, to
reduce energy costs. R-values may be expressed per unit of thickness
(e.g., one inch) or for the total thickness of a particular insulation
product or installation. The higher the R-value, the better the
product's insulating ability. Visit
http://www.ftc.gov/os/1999/08/rvaluefr.htm for full information
regarding R-value. The wall system R-value average is an industry
average based on the collective R-values of all insulated siding
products offered by various manufacturers.
SOURCE Progressive Foam Technologies, Inc.
Janine Young, Senior Account Supervisor, PR, of Innis Maggiore,
+1-330-492-5500, +1-800-460-4111, Janine@innismaggiore.com
