CertainTeed Offers Useful Tips for Going Green at Home in the New Year
(Valley Forge, Pa.) – Green New Year’s Resolutions continue to grow in popularity among North American homeowners — from recycling more and buying local to organizing a neighborhood car pool. Among these resolutions, improving energy efficiency in the home might get overlooked, but it is one of the best ways to go green in the upcoming year.
Many homeowners don’t realize that the average home causes the emission of more than twice as much carbon dioxide — the principle greenhouse gas — as the average car. Even small changes can have a big impact on reducing energy usage, and 2009 is a great time to start.
To help homeowners go green at home this New Year’s, CertainTeed® offers these useful tips:
- Increase insulation. Results from a study conducted by the North American Insulation Manufacturers Association (NAIMA) indicate that insulation saves 12 times more energy per pound in its first year in place when compared to the energy used to produce it. And, it continues to conserve energy for the lifetime of the home with no further maintenance. In 2009, homeowners looking to make energy-efficient investments in their home could qualify for up to $500 in federal tax credits. One of the easiest ways to save energy and make a home more comfortable is to add more insulation to the attic. Two popular choices include fiber glass batt insulation and blowing wool insulation such as CertainTeed’s InsulSafe®SP Premium Blowing Wool.
- Switch to compact fluorescent light bulbs. Look for light bulbs that are ENERGY STAR® certified, which use approximately 75 percent less energy than standard incandescent bulbs and last up to 10 times longer.
- Consider insulated siding. Approximately 40 percent of a home's energy loss is through wood wall studs that cannot be insulated with conventional batt insulation. These uninsulated areas make up a quarter of a home's exterior — a huge waste of heated air. Insulated vinyl siding, such as CertainTeed® CedarBoards™ increases a home’s energy efficiency by providing 300 percent more R-Value, or insulating power, than traditional siding materials.
- Add a fence and landscaping. Adding a fence, shrubbery or other features can shield a home from colder temperatures that result from strong winter winds, reducing the amount of energy needed to heat a home. An easy-care vinyl fence, such as Chesterfield with CertaGrain™, is an excellent option that is long-lasting and comes in a wide range of colors and styles. Homeowners can also reduce energy consumption by up to 25 percent with carefully positioned trees, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.
- Don’t overwork water heaters. Lowering the temperature of your water heater to 120 degrees Fahrenheit means less energy is needed to heat water. Also, by taking short showers in lieu of baths, homeowners can capture even more energy savings throughout the year.
CertainTeed is committed to the responsible development of sustainable building products and systems that meet homeowners’ demands for products that deliver beauty, comfort and performance.
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About CertainTeed
Through innovation and creative product design, CertainTeed has helped shape the building products industry for more than 100 years. Founded in 1904 as General Roofing Manufacturing Company, the firm made its slogan "Quality Made Certain, Satisfaction Guaranteed," which quickly inspired the name CertainTeed. Today, CertainTeed® is North America’s leading brand of exterior and interior building products, including roofing, siding, windows, fence, decking, railing, trim, foundations, pipe, insulation, gypsum, ceilings and access covers.
Headquartered in Valley Forge, Pa., CertainTeed and its affiliates have more than 7,000 employees and more than 70 manufacturing facilities throughout the United States and Canada. In 2007 the group had total sales of more than $3 billion. www.certainteed.com.