<h2 style="margin: 10pt 0in 0pt"><font size="3" color="#990000">Lower your energy costs with an insulated garage door</font></h2><p><span style="line-height: 200%; font-family: ‘Verdana’,’sans-serif’; letter-spacing: 1pt; font-size: 10pt">(ARA) – A leaky, un-insulated garage door may not be an obvious culprit in rising monthly utility bills, but it’s worth a second look if you have an attached garage.</span></p><span style="line-height: 200%; font-family: ‘Verdana’,’sans-serif’; letter-spacing: 1pt; font-size: 10pt"><p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal">Replacing an older garage door with a new, energy-efficient model can reduce energy loss through the garage door by up to 71 percent, according to a comparison study conducted by Clopay engineers.</p>  <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal">"Since attached garages typically share one or two common walls with the house, any hot or cold that travels through a door will ultimately affect the adjacent living areas," says Mark Westerfield, director of product development for garage door manufacturer Clopay Building Products. "An insulated garage door can help stabilize temperatures in the garage to reduce heat losses or gains from common house walls."</p>  <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal">Depending on the specifics of your home and attached garage construction, a well-insulated door can help keep your unheated garage 10 to 20 degrees warmer on a cold winter day. "That can have a significant impact on the comfort of family rooms or bedrooms located above or next to the garage," says Westerfield.</p><p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"> </p><div style="text-align: center"><object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,29,0" width="425" height="282"><param name="movie" value="../images/banners/8c.swf" /><param name="quality" value="high" /><param name="menu" value="false" /><param name="wmode" value="" /><embed src="../images/banners/8c.swf" wmode="" quality="high" menu="false" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="425" height="282"></embed></object></div>  <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal">Homeowners who purchase an energy-efficient garage door now through Dec. 31, 2010, will not only save on their heating and cooling bills, they may qualify for <strong>up to $1,500 in federal tax credits</strong>, thanks to the new stimulus legislation. Certain criteria apply. Visit <a href="http://www.clopay.com" target="_blank">www.clopay.com</a>  or call (800) 225-6729 for more information and a list of eligible models.</p>  <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><strong>Helpful tips</strong></p><p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal">More than 40 percent of the current housing stock was built prior to the era of energy efficiency, according to a report by The Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University. If your garage door is a hold-over from the dark ages, here are some things to look for when making an upgrade:</p>  <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal">* Two inch-thick, three-layer "sandwich" construction including environmentally safe, chlorofluorocarbon-free insulation layered between two sheets of heavy-duty galvanized steel.</p>  <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><strong>* R-value or U-factor</strong> – these are measurements of the thermal efficiency of a door’s insulation. The higher the R-value, or the lower the U-factor, the more energy-efficient the insulation.</p>  <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><strong>* Energy Tax Credit eligible</strong> – available for garage doors with a minimum factor of 0.30 installed on a homeowner’s primary residence.</p>  <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><strong>* Insulation type</strong> – There are two different types of insulation used in garage doors; expanded polystyrene and polyurethane. Doors constructed using either kind qualify for the Energy Tax credit, and both are strong and durable. </p>  <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><strong>* Design</strong> – Get the most out of your garage door upgrade. Choose a model that complements your home’s architectural style. </p>  <p><span style="line-height: 200%; font-family: ‘Verdana’,’sans-serif’; letter-spacing: 1pt; font-size: 10pt">Courtesy of ARAcontent</span></p></span>