(NAPSA)—Think green in cold weather. It’s not as strange as it sounds; hot weather followed by cold means your home is expand- ing and contracting, creating cracks and gaps that leave it with an incomplete building envelope and therefore a higher energy bill —byat least 20 percent, according to some experts. By sealing your home’s envelope, you use less energy to heat and cool and thus reduce yourcarbon footprint derived from energyintense HVAC systems. Now that’s green. Use low-Volatile Organic Compound (VOC)-content caulks to seal your home’s envelope and increase its energy efficiency. Fixing The Envelope The first step is to find those leaks. The obvious ones are around windows and doors. But don’t forget about the attic and basement. Leaks in the attic can create a drafting effect that lets warm air out through the attic, while pulling cold air in through windows, doors and up through the basement. Also look for gaps around pipes, light fixtures, chimneys and vents. Locating leaks can sometimesbe difficult. Be sure to look under insulation. Sealing Air Leaks Once leaks are found, they’re fairly easy to seal. Fortunately, companies offer products with low-VOC content that helps reduce the effect on indoor air quality. DAP’s Dynaflex 230—a low-VOC, low-odor latex sealant—is made for sealing smaller gaps and cracks throughout your home. It’s permanently flexible, making it an excellent sealant to handle the joint move- ment caused by variations in tem- perature and humidity that many homes face throughout the year. Plus, it’s paintable, cleans up with water and, when cured, is mildew resistant. Use foam sealant for larger holes and gaps, except around heat sources such as chimneys and stoves, which need a specialty sealant. Foam sealants can be used in a variety of locations including around windows, doors, pipes and vents. DAPtex Plus” foam sealant is very user friendly and features the same sealing and insulating properties as poly- urethane foam without the problems. It won’t overexpand, so windowsor wall sockets won’t bow or pop out. It’s toolable, so you can work with it once it’s applied, and, unlike polyurethane foam, it cleans up with soap and water. So with the help of some green products and advice from the experts at DAP (www.dap.com), you can save money and have a green homeall year round.
