Foam can reduce energy costs

Saving hundreds of dollars on your energy costs could be as simple as purchasing a $5 can of insulating foam.

According to Convenience Products, manufacturer of Touch 'n Foam Triple Expanding Foam, about 38 percent of a person's energy dollars literally go right out the window. Small homes and cracks around a home allow air to leak out and cause the bulk of energy losses. In fact, if you could add up all the holes in the average home, there would be a 5-foot hole in the wall -- that's the same as keeping the front door open all winter.

Many homes have inadequate insulation, and all those wires, pipes and ducts running through the walls let cold air in and warm air out. One of the easiest ways to seal those gaps is with a can of Touch 'n Foam.

Among the places air can leak are gapping baseboards, wall cracks, around window and door frames, around electrical junction boxes, around air, heating and dryer vents, along floor-wall junctions and around outdoor faucets. Not only will the expanding foam help save energy costs and increase warmth inside the home, it also blocks mice and insects from key points of entry.

Additional ways to reduce heating costs include changing furnace filters regularly (saves about $100 a year), installing a programmable thermostat (saves about $100 a year), vacuuming registers and vents regularly (saves about $30 a year) and opening curtains and blinds in the day to take advantage of the sun's natural warmth.

Many energy-saving home-improvement products are eligible for a tax deduction, including foam insulation. Visit www.energystar.gov for more information.

For additional information about foam insulation, visit www.touch-n-foam.com.

Information courtesy Convenience Products