1999 International Home Builders Show - Insulation Contractors Realize Greater Efficiency and Productivity with Johns Manville's Encapsulated ComfortTherm™ Product

Denver, Colorado (1/15/1999) --- Recent technological advances in the area of home insulation have led to a product transformation from irritating and dusty to comfortable and clean. What used to be reserved only for professional installers, insulation is growing more popular with homeowners and do-it-yourselfers.
 
The advent of encapsulated insulation has changed the product category. Not only has Johns Manville's ComfortTherm™ product line aided do-it-yourselfers, it has become popular with insulation contractors across the country who are realizing increased productivity.
 
ComfortTherm's installer-friendly features have gained in popularity because the pre-cut, poly-wrapped batts place a barrier between the installer and the fiber glass. The batts may be installed quickly while providing greater handling comfort with less dust and itch for a cleaner, more comfortable installation. In addition, the poly facing and triple reinforced flanges are tougher and more tear-resistant than kraft-faced insulation. David James, president of Santa Barbara Insulation in California, has watched his 20-year-old insulation contracting business set itself apart from the competition using ComfortTherm.
 
"Over the years, we've had a lot of very unique architects in Santa Barbara," James said. "Most homes are single family homes that are very individualistic. Instead of following the mainstream, I have tried to separate myself from the pack, too, by using ComfortTherm."
 
According to James, more and more architects are requesting the encapsulated product due to the demonstrated benefits ComfortTherm offers over ordinary insulation.
 
"I would say 60 to 70 percent of the product we use is ComfortTherm," said James. "With ComfortTherm, we get great response from the homeowners, the trades and the architects. We are starting to see architects specify ComfortTherm solely, so we've got them going with it."
 
James' contracting company experimented with ComfortTherm from the outset, using it in lieu of kraft-faced insulation. After a few months, the feedback he received was very much in favor of encapsulated insulation. "The best sales people for the product have been the subcontractors and the superintendents," he said.
 
Although contractors appreciate its handling characteristics, ComfortTherm ultimately provides superior performance to standard kraft faced insulation for the homeowner. The insulation's high-tech poly-wrap system combines a built-in vapor retarder with a protective poly backing film, perforated to let moisture escape. The poly facing is twice as resistant to moisture vapor penetration as kraft paper. As a result, the wall cavity stays dryer while maintaining the insulation's thermal effectiveness. Sam Boak, president of Boak and Sons, a residential/commercial insulation and roofing contractor in Youngstown, Ohio, is also a believer.
 
"We really love the encapsulated batt," Boak says. "It's faster and easier to install, and it lines up nicely in the cavities." Boak especially enjoys what he sees from those working nearby. "The trades like ComfortTherm as well because there is less fiber flying around," he said. "So, if there is a plumber or an electrician working next to us, they like the cleaner environment. You don't have the dust and you don't have the clean-up." Joe Baker, owner of Richmond (Va.) Insulation, clearly identifies three product features he and his installers have come to appreciate, including its clean, tidy appearance, and a superior fire rating.
 
"The benefits are that you have a neat-looking installation as well as a flame spread 25-rated facing," Baker said. "Our installers, in the summertime especially, find ComfortTherm much cleaner and easier to work with."
 
ComfortTherm batts carry a Class A fire rating for low flame spread, and is currently the only encapsulated insulation classified FHC 25/50 by Underwriters Laboratories.
 
According to Boak and James, installing encapsulated insulation does require a short adjustment period. Once the learning phase is completed, however, production efficiency increases rapidly.
 
"You have to get used to it," Boak said. "It was tough at first because there is a learning curve, but now our installers love it. I would say we've seen about a 20 percent increase in labor production because we have started to use (ComfortTherm)." Boak's 60 employees experienced a slight decrease in production the first month, but returned to normal production in month two. Shortly thereafter, he started to see his decision paying off.
 
"I get more coverage per day with ComfortTherm and can expect more out of an installer," he said. "Where we once looked at completing one house a day, we now can do one house and part of another. When you look at it over the course of a week, it starts adding up to more houses."
 
James' crew faced a similar experience: After a few weeks, his installers overcame the dynamics of using a new product and now appreciate a more comfortable working environment.
 
James says "insulation with a skin on it" is a big differentiater. "Take sub-floors, for example: many are insulated from the top, and with rain there is the worry about it getting wet. From a retrofit application, (ComfortTherm' s encapsulation) is a big selling point."
 
ComfortTherm is available in batts and rolls to appeal to both the professional and the do-it-yourselfer. The product line has expanded to include 3 ½-inch thick ComfortTherm Sound Control and R-19 ComfortTherm Under Floor Fiber Glass Insulation. Sound Control is ideal for reducing the noise produced by appliances, television, radio, intercoms, water and conversation from room to room. Under Floor is designed for floor applications above unheated crawl spaces, basements and garages.
 
Johns Manville (NYSE:JM) is a leading manufacturer and marketer of premium quality insulation and building products. The 141-year-old Denver-based company had sales of $1.65 billion in 1997. Johns Manville produces and markets insulation products for buildings and equipment; commercial/industrial roofing systems; and engineered products including high-efficiency filtration media, fibers, fabric and nonwoven mats used as reinforcements in building and industrial applications. Johns Manville employs approximately 9,300 people and operates 54 manufacturing facilities in North America, Europe and China. Additional information can be found at www.jm.com.
 
For more information on the full line of Johns Manville building insulation products, please contact the Johns Manville Product Information Center, P.O. Box 5108, Denver, CO 80217; phone: 800.654.3103; fax: 303.978.2318.