Here are a few ways that plastics can help:

• Stop the leaks – Air leaks from windows and frames can cost a bundle, but a variety of plastic sealants can help keep dollars from slipping through the cracks. Applying caulks and other sealants around window panes, frames and sills is a quick, easy fix for drafty windows. Sometimes a simple plastic foam weather strip is all that’s needed. Heavy-duty, clear plastic sheets can be tightly sealed to the window frames (usually applied during winter months) to help increase the insulating ability of windows and to reduce any drafts. And cans of spray polyurethane foam can help fill large and small holes.
• Take cover – Window treatments are not simply for decoration or privacy. Use light colored blinds, shades or drapes to block the sun’s rays from heating up the house during the summer, especially on south and west facing windows, and to help keep out cold air in the winter. Close them at night during winter and open them in the daytime to help regulate heat. For great value, try durable vinyl blinds and shades or look for drapes with a room-darkening, insulated vinyl panel. Vinyl awnings installed above outdoor windows also help keep out the sun’s heat and harmful rays, as do reflective plastic films that can be installed on the window panes by handy homeowners.
• Go modern – Replacing older, inefficient windows may be more than a DYI job, but it’s a great way to upgrade and modernize a home that pays big dividends in the long run. Installing durable, low-maintenance, double-glazed windows with vinyl frames can help reduce energy use and heating and cooling costs. In fact, vinyl window frames save the U.S. nearly 2 trillion BTU’s of energy every year – that’s enough to meet the yearly electrical needs of 18,000 single family homes, according to Franklin Associates. Less energy used for heating and cooling also translates into fewer greenhouse gas emissions. Check with your local window salesperson, a tax advisor or go to www.energystar.gov to check on federal or state tax credits for installing new, energy efficient windows.

From residential homes to commercial buildings, hospitals and schools, architects and designers rely on plastics to help maximize durability and improve energy efficiency and performance. Properly installed plastic building products can help reduce energy and maintenance costs and potentially reduce a homeowner’s carbon footprint. In fact, a one-year study found that the use of plastic building materials saved 467.2 trillion Btu of energy over alternative construction materials. That’s enough energy saved over the course of a year to meet the average energy needs of 4.6 million U.S. households!

 Here are just a few of the ways that plastics help save energy at home:   

• From rigid polystyrene foam insulation panels (expanded or extruded) that can help homeowners save hundreds of dollars each year on heating and cooling bills, to plastic wrap that can reduce infiltration of outside air by 10-50 percent, plastic can help drastically reduce the energy required to heat or cool homes.Insulation:

• Applying polymeric based caulks and sealants is a quick, easy fix for drafty windows. If replacement windows are needed, use vinyl window frames, which decrease condensation and help homes maintain an even temperature, cutting down on extra heating and air conditioning usage. This helps reduce the greenhouse gas emissions associated with energy generation.Windows:

 

• Roofing systems made with plastics, such as vinyl or TPO single-ply membranes for the outer surface in combination with rigid polyiso board or spray polyurethane foam underneath, offer energy savings, durability and moisture control. These kinds of roofing systems typically have a light colored, reflective coating in warm climates, which reduces the amount of heat transported inside the building through thermal bridges (created when materials that are poor insulators come into contact, allowing heat to flow through the path created.) The cooler the building, the less air conditioning is required and therefore, less energy is consumed.Roofing:

 

• Lumber made from recycled plastics and plastic-wood composites can outlast traditional materials and requires less maintenance. Composite lumber is resistant to weathering, requiring less material to be used over time, which saves energy. It is also eco-friendly as much of the lumber is made from recycled materials and/or can be recycled. Composite Lumber:

 

• Using cross-linked polyethylene piping (called PEX), which is lighter and more flexible than other materials, allows for multiple feed lines throughout a house, which allows hot water to arrive faster to a sink or shower which can significantly save water. Piping:

 

Whether you’re doing a complete eco-renovation or looking for smaller ways to save energy at home, plastics help make it possible. For each of the above examples, energy and cost savings vary. Please check with your local retailer on pricing and availability of products.

Visit

www.americanchemistry.com for more information.