Insulated Siding Reduces Energy Use and Saves Money Rigid foam insulation offers homeowners highest average system R-value* of any exterior finish. BEACH CITY, Ohio (January 23, 2008) Americans will spend an average of 10% more on heating their homes this winter, according to an October 2007 report from the National Energy Assistance Directorsâ„¢ Association (NEADA). Insulated siding with Fullback Technology helps consumers reduce heating costs by offering them the highest insulation rating (wall system R-value*) of any exterior cladding product on the market. Insulated Siding will indicate an R-value range from 2.2 to 5.1, more than triple that of the next most energy-efficient exterior cladding, insulated siding significantly reduces heat and cooling loss, while improving home value and curb appeal and reducing maintenance. Products like fiber cement, brick and manufactured stone veneer offer virtually no insulation. Insulated siding is home siding that includes a rigid foam insulation, fused behind the exterior surface of the siding panel. Unlike flat foam insulations that leave gaps through which hot and cold air escape, insulated siding's custom-contoured shape and continuous coverage drastically reduce temperature loss. Wall studs make up 25 % of the wall surface of an average home. Up to 40% of your energy is leaking through the side of your home. How is your home leaking away all that energy? One culprit is the studs. They conduct heat and allow energy to leak right through the walls of your home. Those wood studs make up 25% of your home's wall surface so it's like having one entire wall with NO INSULATION! Nearly half of your home's energy bill is spent on heating and cooling, so slashing energy use will save you money on your monthly bill. "Homeowners today are more interested in reducing their energy needs than ever before, and with a product like insulated siding, they can reduce the heating and cooling energy loss through the walls by up to 20%." said Pat Culpepper, president of Progressive Foam Technologies, Inc., which manufactures the rigid foam backing. Insulated Siding is available through a range of premium siding manufacturers including Mastic Home Exteriors, Alside, CertainTeed, Exterior Portfolio by Crane, Heartland Siding, 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 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. Contact Information: Daryl Rowland, Senior Account Supervisor, PR, or Janine Young, Senior Account Supervisor, PR Innis Maggiore (330) 492-5500 1-800-460-4111 daryl@innismaggiore.com janine@innismaggiore.com
Q: What is Insulated Siding?
A: Insulated siding is home siding that includes a rigid foam insulation, fused behind the exterior surface of the siding panel. Because the insulation is contoured to fill the gap between the siding and your home, insulated siding delivers maximum energy efficiency, along with durability, low maintenance and lasting beauty.
Q: Where can Homeowners Buy Insulated Siding?
A: Homeowners can visit one of our siding manufacturer partners listed at www.chooseinsulatedsiding.com to find a dealer in their area.
Q: What is Fullback Technology.
A: Fullback Technology is a thermal support system, manufactured from high-performance expanded polystyrene (EPS), an exceptionally adaptable building material, which can be custom engineered to conform to the precise dimensions of exterior claddings. Fullback Technology delivers energy savings, structural support, breathability for reduced mold and mildew and pest control.
Q: How does Fullback Work?
A: Fullback is precision engineered to fit the profile of today's home sidings, creating a fully supported solid surface and providing a blanket of foam insulation around the home. As much as 40% of heat loss occurs through the wooden wall studs of a home where there is no insulation material. (Wooden studs make up 1/4 of an average home's exterior surface.) Insulated siding envelops the home by insulating continuously over the wood framing where heat loss is greatest.
Q: How do Consumers Know they are Getting Genuine Insulated Siding? A: Insulated siding is sold through builders, remodelers and architects. The full product name is Insulated Siding with Fullback Technology
Q: How Much can be Saved in Energy Costs with Insulated Siding?
A: Heating and cooling account for 50-70% of the energy costs experienced in the average home. The stable thermal performance of insulated siding results in heating and cooling savings that add up over the life of the structure. According to independent testing, insulated siding offers an average system R-value* of 3.96 (more than three times the system R-value of other popular home claddings), a number which can translate into reduced energy consumption of up to 20%. Visit the Energy Calculator at www.chooseinsulatedsiding.com/howmuchcanyousave to see potential savings.
Q: What Makes Insulated Siding a Green Product?
A: Insulated siding is an Energy Star qualified insulation product, engineered to satisfy the stringent standards of the U.S. Department of Energy and the EPA. By reducing energy consumption by up to 20%, homeowners can feel proud to be part of the solution to our dependence on fossil fuels. The EPA reports that household energy needs account for 35% of all U.S. emissions of carbon dioxides, 75% of sulfur dioxide and 38% of nitrogen oxides. By utilizing energy-efficient materials like Insulated Siding in homes, we can reduce the amount of air pollution. Insulated siding is a green product throughout its lifecycle. Components are manufactured with minimal energy consumption and waste. Insulated Siding eliminates installation and exterior maintenance materials, reducing the use of hazardous or ozone-depleting products such as paints, stains and caulks. Once installed, it can remain in place without significant degradation for 50 years or more, reducing landfill deposits and performing for the life of your home. The insulation's main ingredient, styrene, occurs naturally and is found in many foods and beverages, such as milk, coffee, beer, strawberries, tomatoes, olives and nuts. It is approved by the FDA for use as a flavoring agent and also for use in food packaging.
Q: How Does Insulated Siding Maintain the Look and Feel of Solid Wood?
A: With insulated siding, the space behind the siding is completely filled, bridging any imperfections in the wall and eliminating sagging, shifting or warping, which can give homes an artificial appearance. The added rigidity and strength of insulated siding resist wind damage and damage from impact, as well as providing a solid look and feel for the life of the building.
Q: Is Insulated Siding more Durable than Other Sidings?
A: Many sidings without rigid foam insulation can absorb the impact of only about 60 psi before the panels rupture. These products can crack and/or deform (dent) when struck by hail, a child's ball or other objects. In tests performed by an independent laboratory, insulated siding increased the impact resistance of the siding up to 320 psi or 215 mph, an increase of more than 400%.
Q: How Does Insulated Siding Fight Mold and Mildew?
A: It is estimated that the average family of four creates six gallons of water vapor a day through routine daily activities such as breathing, perspiring, running water, showering, laundry, cooking, washing dishes, etc. If this is not released, it can condense on and between wall studs, and can cause both structural and health-related problems. Moist materials provide an ideal growing medium for molds, fungi and bacteria, organisms that can promote a host of respiratory problems. Insulated siding's unique breathability, which is three times that of other forms of exterior insulation, allows water vapors to escape the home, helping to reduce moisture and maintain a healthier home environment.
Q: How does Insulated Siding Reduce Infestation?
A: Insulated siding is manufactured with an insect-fighting ingredient that uses a patented process to incorporate the EPA-registered additive into the insulation. The ingredient utilizes boron, a naturally occurring inorganic mineral, to deter termites from nesting in the foam, yet it is safe for humans and pets. Insulated siding also eliminates the cozy space behind the siding where insects congregate.
Q: Does Insulated Siding Make the Home Quieter?
A: Insulated Siding wraps the home in a continuous blanket of insulation. It eliminates the rattling sound typical of some siding products. Homeowners report that the use of Insulated Siding greatly reduces outside noise and makes their homes quieter.
Q: Who Makes Fullback Technology?
A: Fullback Technology is a patented thermal foam support system manufactured by Progressive Foam Technologies, Inc., which is headquartered in Beach City, Ohio. The company was founded in 1992. *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.
Insulated Siding Adds Energy Efficiency and Durability to National Green Building Conference Show Homes Homes Devastated by Katrina are Rebuilt more Eco-Friendly with Durable Insulated Siding BEACH CITY, Ohio (May 9, 2008) – Four of the seven homes on display at the 2008 National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) National Green Building Conference feature Insulated Siding with Fullback Technology on their exteriors. The homes, which are being rebuilt after the devastation of hurricane Katrina, are examples of the latest in green-building technology, and insulated siding was chosen as the preferred exterior for its exceptional durability and energy-saving characteristics. Insulated siding provides superior durability and strength against the harshest elements. The siding, which includes a rigid foam insulation fused behind the exterior surface of the panel, withstands winds up to 215 mph without damage and offers up to 400% greater impact resistance than conventional siding. Pat Culpepper, President of Progressive Foam Technologies, Inc., the inventor of insulated siding, said, We are thrilled that our product can help the folks whose lives were interrupted by such a devastating storm. Insulated siding will make their homes more storm resistant and energy efficient than before. Each of the rebuilt homes is equipped with the latest products that are environmentally friendly and save energy. In addition to its exceptional durability, insulated siding is an Energy Star qualified product that reduces heating and cooling energy loss by up to 20%. Because the insulation is contoured to fill the gap between the siding and home, insulated siding delivers a system R-value range of 2.2 - 5.1, which is up to 5 times that of any other siding on the market. In comparison, products like fiber cement, brick and manufactured stone veneer offer almost no insulation. In climates like that of New Orleans where it's warm with high humidity, insulated siding will serve as a barrier to heat penetrating the home, said Culpepper. Few homeowners are aware that up to 40% of their energy loss occurs through the side of their home because the wood conducts heat and cold. Wall studs make up 25% of the wall surface of an average home. That's like having one entire wall in your home with no insulation, explained Culpepper. Insulated siding stops that energy loss by insulating continuously over the framing of the home, keeping it cooler inside. According to Culpepper, the product is equally as effective in cold climates where it stops heat loss from a home's interior and reduces energy use. According to Janice Caddie, Partner of KC Contractors in Kenner, Louisiana, who built two of the homes using Insulated Siding with Fullback Technology, the choice was a natural one.
