CONTACT:    Barbara Catlow
401-822-4100

Insulated Exterior Systems Offer a Longer-Term Solution
To Exorbitant Home Energy Bills 

(West Warwick, Rhode Island) Amid ongoing real and speculative increases in oil and natural gas prices, Americans are expecting to take a significant blow to the wallet this winter, and the opportunities for more energy-efficient living are beginning to hit a lot closer to home. 

One innovative solution for consumers – both from the standpoint of new construction as well as remodeling  projects – is to install an energy efficient Exterior Insulation and Finish System (EIFS) on the exterior of the home.  Installing expanded polystyrene (EPS) insulation board on the outside walls effectively wraps the home in a blanket of additional insulation.

“If there is one thing you can count on this winter and in coming years, it is the rising cost of energy – and this directly affects home heating and cooling costs,” says Tony Stall, Vice President, Marketing, of Dryvit Systems, Inc. “By effectively cladding the home in a blanket of insulation, installing an EIF system can result in a savings of 20% or more on home energy costs.”

So what’s ahead this winter for consumers? According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, households heating primarily with natural gas can expect to spend an average of
48% more this winter on fuel. Households using oil can expect to pay an average of 32% more, and those with propane can expect to pay 30% more this winter (www.eia.doe.gov). These estimates were made prior to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita slamming into the oil rich Gulf Coast. 

“As fuel prices increase, that 20% savings becomes a larger and larger dollar amount,” Stall adds. “This is an investment that compounds every year. An added benefit of Dryvit EIFS is the physical beauty of the exterior finishes themselves – so not only do you get superior energy efficiency, you get greater curb appeal – which adds to the intrinsic value of the home – as well.”

In 2002, Dryvit was part of an independent study conducted by the Oak Ridge National Laboratory – the nation’s preeminent scientific testing facility managed for the United States Department of Energy by UT-Battelle, LLC. The study concluded that Dryvit EIFS is 84% more efficient than six other common cladding choices tested, including brick, stucco and wood.

About Dryvit Systems, Inc.

Dryvit is North America’s leading manufacturer of Exterior Insulation and Finish Systems and was the company that brought this technology to the US from Europe in 1969.  Dryvit manufactures exterior wall systems and textured acrylic finishes that are used on both residential and commercial projects and provides a beautiful, durable, energy-efficient exterior to any building. Today, Dryvit has five manufacturing locations across North America, is ISO 9001:2000 certified and has sold over 2 billion sq. ft. of products. For more information about Dryvit’s systems or products, call 1-800-556-7752.