Apply Sunscreen Liberally to Home: Enjoy Lasting Protection

(ARA) - With warm weather here, can your home handle the sun's blazing rays? Insulation is like sunscreen for your home, and you need about 19 inches in the attic to maximize protection against the heat. A study by the Harvard School of Public Health found that an estimated 60 million American homes have under-insulated attics. If your home is missing that insulation "SPF," you may want to consider adding some. Taking this step is one of the best ways to reduce your home's energy use for cooling.

"A significant amount of a home's struggle to remain cool is through under-insulated attics, but it's simple to determine if you have enough, and it's easy to add more if you don't," says Gale Tedhams, director of sustainability for Owens Corning. "Go up to your attic. If you can see the wood beams of your attic floor, you don't have enough."

This time of year, keeping your home cool is important, but doing so in a cost-effective and environmentally friendly way is of equal priority. Adding insulation to keep the cool air inside reduces the need to use energy to cool your home. And who wouldn't appreciate a lower energy bill? Also, when less energy is used, less greenhouse gas-causing CO2 is generated.

"A properly insulated home can save you up to 20 percent on energy bills. A good place to start is the attic because that's where a lot of cool air can be lost," says Tedhams. "What's more, a well-insulated home can emit up to one half-ton less CO2 every year than its less-insulated neighbors."

To meet the Department of Energy recommended R-value of up to 60 for attics, Owens Corning, the makers of PINK insulation, advises attics have about 19 inches of fiberglass batt insulation or 22 inches of blown insulation. Homeowners can visit www.InsulateYourAtticNow.com to find out more about how much they need, where to get it, and the benefits.

"It's one of the most cost-effective things you can do to stay cool and comfortable during hot weather," says Tedhams.

Homeowners who want to reduce their home's energy footprint should also consider other energy-efficient upgrades such as:

Installing a Programmable Thermostat
Why heat or 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.

Plugging the Drafts
Sealing the envelope of the home is the first line of defense against drafts, 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 by up to 10 percent.

Having 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. The quiz provides tailored recommendations for improving home energy efficiency and can be found at www.owenscorning.com/homereportcard.

Courtesy of ARAcontent