Fort Wayne & NE Indiana News

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New Build In Fort Wayne Will Have 25% Improvement In Energy Efficiency With Insul Slab System

Cold Midwestern winters are a constant worry, driving homeowners to find ways to increase energy efficiency and reduce heating bills, while using products that won’t have a toxic environmental impact. That was the inspiration behind the Insul Slab thermal barrier system, which was recently installed in a new construction home in Fort Wayne. Overall, the home will boost its energy efficiency by 25%, a significant cost savings for years to come. The three-bedroom house, built by Foster and Park Homes in the Valencia addition on Fort Wayne’s northwest side, is one of several successful Insul Slab system installs.

“Because it has a complete thermal break between the slab edge and outside environment as well as between the slab and the thermal mass footer, this home will not have the same heat loss found with traditional slab insulation methods,” says Clay Rust, Project Manager. “By installing the Insul Slab system, we increased the efficiency at the slab edge by 88% and from the thermal mass footing by about 70%. The combination of those changes affects the thermal efficiency of the entire home by 25%. In addition, installing this thermal barrier will reduce moisture buildup under the sill plate, which in turn inhibits mold growth and increases occupant comfort.”

Invented in Fort Wayne, the Insul Slab system vastly improves the energy efficiency of a structure. Independent research by Purdue University found that by isolating the slab from the thermal mass footing and insulating the slab edge exposure from the surrounding environment, the Insul Slab system reduces energy loss significantly compared to other methods of insulating the slab. Since up to 50% of a modern structure’s energy loss is through the slab edge, the drastic reduction in energy loss will have a positive and ongoing impact on the cost of heating the structure.

Current building codes require a continuous thermal break along the slab. The Insul Slab system is the first to provide a thermal barrier at the slab edge and at the thermal mass footer. Insul Slab has been installed in other new construction builds in the Indiana area, and is currently being distributed throughout the Midwest.

Insul Slab products are distributed through CMA Supply. More information on the product, the installation method and the energy savings it provides, is available at their website, www.insulslab.net