For Earth Day, Add Insulation To Save Energy And The Environment

Is Your Home One of the 65 Percent of American Homes Without Enough Insulation?

Alexandria, VA (April 4, 2006) – This Earth Day, the North American Insulation Manufacturers Association (NAIMA) reminds homeowners that increasing the amount of insulation in their homes is one of the best things they can do for the environment and their wallets. Adding insulation lowers the amount of energy used to heat and cool a home which results in a cleaner environment.

Insulation also helps homeowners save money on energy bills and tax bills as well.  (Savings vary.  Find out more in the seller’s fact sheet on R-values.  Higher R-values mean greater insulating power.)  The federal government has recently instituted tax credits for 10% of the cost of qualified energy efficiency improvements, up to $500.  These credits are in effect, along with ones for new homes, for improvements made between 1/1/2006 and 12/31/2007.  Many states and utilities offer additional rebates and incentives for adding insulation. Visit www.SimplyInsulate.com to find out more.

Between the tax credits and the expected increases in electricity costs this summer, there is no better time to increase the efficiency of your home. 

Public Health and Environmental Benefits of Adding Insulation

Recent studies from the Harvard University School of Public Health estimated that 65 percent of American homes are under-insulated. Harvard found that if these homes were upgraded to a more recent model energy code, America could save more than 800 Trillion BTUs of energy each year, which translates into hundreds of thousands fewer tons of greenhouse gas and other harmful emissions released into the atmosphere. These emission reductions translate into fewer deaths and a reduction in decreased activities each year from pollution-related illnesses.

How Much Insulation to Add?

Most homeowners will need to add between an R-19 and R-30 insulation to their attics in order to decrease the amount of energy required to heat and cool their homes and qualify for the tax credit. NAIMA has developed a state-by-state map showing the recommended levels of insulation for comfort and savings that is posted at www.SimplyInsulate.com. Also on this site, NAIMA offers free resources to help homeowners assess and take action to increase the energy efficiency of their homes, improve the environment and take advantage of the federal tax credit.

What Kind of Insulation is Green?

In general terms, all insulation is green, because its core purpose is to save energy and increase comfort. It does this without expending any energy.  Fiber glass and rock and slag wool insulation saves more than 12 times the energy used in their production in the first year alone and continue saving for the life of the home. Fiber glass and rock and slag wool insulation have numerous environmental benefits, including: 

• Fiber glass is produced from a renewable resource, sand, and up to 40% recycled materials.  Slag wool insulations are made using up to 70-85% blast furnace slag, which is a waste material that is diverted from landfills, and rock wool insulation is made using crushed basaltic rock and up to 30% blast furnace slag.
• Naturally fire resistant.
• Last the lifetime of a building with negligible settling.

For more on the life cycle and environmental attributes of fiber glass and rock and slag wool insulations, visit www.naima.org/pages/benefits/environ/environ.html.

*Savings may vary. Find out more in the seller’s fact sheet.