TOM KRAEUTLER: Welcome to this edition of The Money Pit’s Top Products podcast coming to you from Greenbuild 2012 in San Francisco. Well, if you are a homeowner, one of the things that you may be constantly chasing are all the drafts that come in and out of your house. The problem is where exactly do you start? What do you need to really tie those down? Well Owens-Corning can help. They’ve got a system that can take care of all of that. It is called the Energy Complete System and it is a whole home insulation and air sealing system that combines energy savings, safety, and affordability. Here to tell us more about this system is Gale Tedhams and Doug Walden. Gale, let’s start with you. What is the basis for this entire system?
GALE TEDHAMS: Well the basis for the system is both the sealant as well as the insulation. So we have a low rise latex sealant that is actually used to seal any cracks and crevices in the home and then you come back and make sure that you have insulation to provide the thermal control so it gives you both the protection from air leakage as well as the thermal for your home. [00:01:07]
TOM KRAEUTLER: All right. So let’s break this down for a homeowner who may not be familiar with all the technical terms. First of all, this is designed for a remodeling scenario or new construction?
GALE TEDHAMS: It could be used in both. For instance, for a ceiling where you have—that is one of the big leakage points—where you have maybe can lights or holes through your ceiling going up into your attic. You can come in, take the insulation back if it is already insulated, seal in those areas, put back insulation and add new and that can really make a big improvement to the insulating and comfort and energy savings for your home.
TOM KRAEUTLER: It really does come down to being comfortable in the house and you guys actually have invented a product that makes this possible. Doug, let’s talk about this sealant product that you guys have invented. It is sort of an expandable foam product and it really goes where other products really can’t and gets to the heart of the areas that are drafty, correct?
DOUG WALDEN: That is absolutely correct. The product is a soft, pliable foam that forms a gasket, so as the house expands and contracts and settles, the foam is going to adhere to the wood or the steel or of the ductwork or the can light and it will expand and contract with the home as the home ages and it is going to maintain that softness and that pliability for the life of the home. [00:02:19]
TOM KRAEUTLER: Yes, and that is key because as you mentioned, as the home moves these seals tend to break, and especially if you are using the insulation that hardens as it cures, it is going to break with it and let the air in right behind it, correct?
DOUG WALDEN: Absolutely. Or if you are using a material that doesn’t have the long-term durability, could even turn to a powder and could break down over time.
TOM KRAEUTLER: All right. So let’s say a homeowner is interested in this system. This is something that has to be professionally installed. Is there one point that they would go to get information on how to get it done in their particular residence?
DOUG WALDEN: You can certainly go to OCEnergyComplete.com, which is our website, or you could call 1-800-GET PINK.
TOM KRAEUTLER: It is a great system; it is a great innovation. And again, that website is OCEnergyComplete.com. Doug Walden and Gale Tedhams, thanks so much for filling us in.
GALE TEDHAMS: Thanks. It was our pleasure.
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