Energy Efficiency Experts Advise Consumers to 'Keep Your Cool'

Through Home Sealing

HUNTERSVILLE, N.C., March 20 /PRNewswire/ -- Most homeowners recognize the importance of having an energy efficient home during the winter months to lower their energy bills, but more than 60 percent have yet to implement energy efficiency measures going into the summer months, according to a new survey by GE Sealants & Adhesives. Simple steps such as home sealing can lower a home's heating and cooling costs by up to 20 percent, saving a homeowner hundreds of dollars on their utility bills.

Searching for ways to lower household energy usage has become a traditional winter routine for most homeowners as they try to thwart rising energy costs. In fact, the survey found that seven-out-of- ten respondents take measures to improve their homes' energy efficiency prior to every cold- weather season. However, homeowners seldom prepare their homes for the energy demands of the summer. This could prove especially costly this summer as utilities throughout the U.S. are proposing rate increases of as much as 70%.

"Having an energy efficient home is just as important in the summer as it is in the winter. Home sealing is a simple way to keep cool air in, stay comfortable, and reduce energy bills during the summer," says Steve Baden, Executive Director of the Residential Energy Services Network (RESNET), a non- profit energy efficiency organization. "One of the first steps homeowners should consider is properly sealing the home. Air leaking through gaps and cracks can add up to as much airflow as an open window, and an air conditioner is one of the largest summer energy expenditures."

Sealing the home with silicone sealants limits the costly escape of cool air from air-conditioned environments. According to the Environmental Protection Agency's ENERGY STAR program, air leakage through tiny holes and cracks accounts for up to 20 percent of the energy used for cooling and heating. A typical home can be sealed with four tubes of GE Silicone II, meaning that $20.00 could save a homeowner hundreds of dollars in energy costs.

GE offers a variety of silicone and acrylic home sealing solutions that can help a homeowner have a tighter, more energy- efficient home. Jeff Davis, General Manager of GE Sealants & Adhesives, recommends a premium silicone sealant for summer home sealing needs.

"Silicone sealants provide homes with an air and water-tight seal that creates the highest level of efficiency and protection against the elements," says Davis. "And because of its unmatched durability and adhesion, homeowners only have to seal a home once with silicone."

Information on how to properly seal a home, including windows, doors, kitchens, bathrooms, basements and other areas, can be found online at http://www.gesealants.com.

For additional information about home sealing, print-ready images, or complete survey results, contact Jay Osgood at (704) 992- 4114 or jay.osgood@ge.com.

About GE Sealants & Adhesives

GE Sealants & Adhesives (GESA) is a division of GE Advanced Materials, a world leader in providing materials solutions through engineering thermoplastics, silicon-based products and technology platforms, and fused quartz and ceramics. GESA offers a variety of premier silicone and acrylic sealants, providing builders and homeowners with the best solutions for sealing the home envelope.

About the Survey

The results of this survey are based on a total of 504 online interviews conducted among homeowners between the ages of 21-64. The margin of error is +/- four percentage points. Interviewing was conducted in March 2006. SOURCE GE Sealants & Adhesives