>Aloha everyone, I wrote earlier wondering if anyone knew anything about this cool-wall paint, and we all kind of agreed that it sounded like snake oil. However, now that my friend has painted her house with this paint, I'm beginning to believe that it really does keep things cooler. Surprisingly, just touching the outside wall that had the paint applied and then touching another area that was not painted, I could literally feel that the cool-wall painted area was noticeably cooler. She also used it on her deck and in the hottest part of the day, I didn't wish I had foot covers on. Anyway, I send the following item describing the product FYI. Betsy
>Building News - 2006 > >Textured Coatings Innovative Coating System Keeps Homes Cooler > >For every homeowner who has struggled to find >ways to hold down the cost of air conditioning without >sacrificing comfort, recent tests by the U.S. >Department of Energy offer promising results. Recently >completed tests at the Oak Ridge National >Laboratory showed that an innovative exterior coating >system from Textured Coatings of America Inc. >can reduce a typical homes air-conditioning costs by >over 20 percent by actually keeping the homes interior cooler. > >The tests conducted for over a year measured the >performance of TEXCOTE® SUPERCOTE >Cool Wall premium coatings. The DOE tests found >that not only did the products revolutionary heat >reflective finish significantly reduce exterior >wall temperatures, it also dramatically lowered interior >temperatures on cement block, stucco and >wood-frame homes, according to Jay Haines, TCAs >president and chief executive officer. > >The DOE tests confirmed that the Cool Wall >coating reduced exterior wall temperatures by as >much as 40 degrees Fahrenheit when compared to >traditional paints and coatings in many colors, >said Haines. Whats more important is that the >test data showed that the Cool Wall coating would >reduce the interior temperatures as well, and >could lower the costs of cooling a typical >1,100-square-foot ranch-style home by as much as >21.9 percent depending on the color chosen, >substrate type and climatic conditions. > >TEXCOTE® SUPERCOTE Cool Wall coatings take >advantage of the same heat reflective >technology used by the military to reduce the >heat signature of planes and other vehicles, Haines >explained. Since the increase in reflectivity >occurs primarily in the infrared spectrum, it is invisible to >the naked eye. Yet although the Cool Wall >colors may look the same as a traditional finish, the DOE >tests show that, on average, they are up to 100 >percent more reflective than the conventional >technologies. > >A dark-colored home absorbs as much as 90 >percent of the solar radiation that strikes it, and even >white walls can absorb solar radiation, Haines >noted. By reflecting this infrared radiation rather than >absorbing it, the Cool Wall coatings >dramatically reduce the load on a homes air-conditioning >system. And because they are reflective, they >are less prone to fading even dark colors stay darker >longer than conventional paint technologies. > >The most extensive DOE tests were conducted at >the Oak Ridge test site in Tennessee, with >additional tests conducted at actual homes in >Jacksonville, Fla., and Phoenix, Ariz. > >Obviously, the savings vary depending on the >homes location, as well as its construction type, its >orientation to the sun, surrounding shade >features and so forth, said Haines. But the DOE tests >confirmed a measurable and significant >difference in the energy required to cool the home in all >instances. > >In addition to energy savings, the tests showed >that infrared reflective coatings are significantly more >fade resistant, even in darker colors, Haines >said. The coatings also can reduce stress or building >fatigue by minimizing the expansion and >contraction of the homes exterior that occurs during >extreme fluctuations in temperature. The >reflective coatings can also reduce the heat island effect >that causes excessive energy consumption in urban areas. > >TEXCOTE® SUPERCOTE coatings are 10 times >thicker on average than ordinary paint, and can >withstand an average of 40 years of exterior >exposure. After being professionally applied, the product >is warranted for as long as the homeowner owns the home. > >The SUPERCOTE finish can last for decades >without flaking, peeling, or chipping, said Haines. >The multi-step process to apply the finish >virtually eliminates the need for scraping, sanding, painting >and repainting, saving homeowners thousands of >dollars in maintenance expense over the life of the >home not to mention countless hours of hard work. > >TEXCOTE® SUPERCOTE coatings also fight mildew >and algae while dramatically reducing >exterior maintenance. They can be applied to >virtually any type of surface including stucco, wood, >masonry and fiber cement surfaces. They are sold >exclusively through qualified TEXCOTE® dealers Teamwork: Together we achieve the extraordinary. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
