Johns Manville Launches JMHomeowner.com

With the expected rise in energy bills again this winter, Johns Manville (JM), a leading manufacturer of an extensive line of energy-efficient building products, has launched a new online energy-efficiency resource center dedicated to empowering homeowners to make informed decisions about the products that can improve their homes' energy efficiency and the health and comfort of their families.JMHomeowner.comserves as a homeowner's guide to improved home-energy efficiency and healthier indoor-living environments through a series of evaluation tools, product details, industry resources and tips for the "do-it-yourself" homeowner.

Whether building a new home, enhancing a home entertainment system, remodeling a room or simply making energy-efficiency upgrades to lower monthly energy bills, consumers can look to JMHomeowner.com for ways to improve the quality of the air they breathe in their home, enhance energy efficiency and impact acoustical performance in their home.

Educating Consumers About Home Energy Efficiency

Launched during nationalEnergy Awareness Monthand developed by Johns Manville in partnership with Denver-basedFaction Media, the site serves as the homeowner's guide to the effective use of insulation as one of the most important factors in the energy-efficiency performance of any home. JMHomeowner.com provides resources and tools for homeowners to secure their home's "thermal envelope" by enclosing heated or cooled living spaces to not only maintain the comfort of their home, but also to help lower energy bills.

The U.S. residential sector is the single largest energy consumer in the world, according to the McKinsey Global Institute. JM's recentEnergy Awareness Month Surveyfound that the majority of the U.S. public does not realize the extent to which their homes use energy for heating, cooling, lighting and appliances. One reason why the U.S. residential sector is the single largest energy consumer in the world is because 46 million, or 65 percent of U.S. homes, are currently under-insulated, according to the Harvard University School of Public Health. In addition, the U.S. Department of Energy estimates that 40 percent of all air leaks in the average home are in the attic.

"Homeowners have significant opportunities to improve the energy efficiency of their homes, usually through simple upgrades such as adding attic insulation or air sealing a home, which pays back immediately in lower energy bills," said Tim Carey, environmental stewardship manager at Johns Manville. "JMHomeowner.com is a great resource for homeowners to get practical advice on how to maximize their home's energy efficiency and lower their home's operating costs. We're excited to launch the new site, and we'll continue to keep it fresh and updated with practical and timely advice that comes from our team of energy-efficiency experts."

Insulation can play a large role in the consistent comfort of a room while also decreasing energy bills by helping heating and cooling systems maintain a constant temperature. Understanding how insulation works and what kind to use can add to a consistently comfortable indoor environment. Superior insulation provides an effective barrier against weather changes outside the house, can minimize cold spots in the winter, and keeps cooling systems from working harder than necessary in the summer.

Home Energy Analysis

JM's Energy Awareness Month Survey also found that 84 percent of respondents have never commissioned a home energy audit, an important assessment of their home's energy-efficiency performance. The site's Home Energy Analysis tool is an energy-efficiency calculator that allows homeowners to evaluate their home's energy efficiency through a step-by-step evaluation of their home's specifications. By answering a series of simple questions, the calculator estimates a home's energy performance and provides the homeowner with a report that includes a series of recommendations to increase energy efficiency. Based on the energy performance, the calculator also estimates an approximate percentage of savings that could be realized by making the recommended efficiency upgrades.