President Obama attracted national attention in December when he declared that "insulation is sexy stuff." To those of us in the energy efficiency industry, the President's nod to insulation confirmed our belief that energy conservation is quickly becoming mainstream.
Increasing the R-value of the insulation in your home makes sense for a variety of reasons -- lowering utility bills, shrinking your carbon footprint, promoting national energy independence -- but can increasing the R-value of your home increase the O-value of your sex life?
How sexy is insulation really?
In addition to all of the other reasons to have a well-insulated home, comfort may be the most compelling reason of all. Walls that lack insulation literally "pull" heat from our bodies, making us feel cold, as if our home is "drafty." Married men everywhere know what it means if their wives feel cold and uncomfortable at home -- bring on the sweatpants, bathrobes and flannel pajamas (maybe even a Snuggie).
There's no debating that the constant wearing of sweatpants can take a toll on a couple's sex life. This is true even if your wife contends that they're actually "yoga pants." (Those of you who saw the movie Extract, and laughed sympathetically as Jason Bateman's character rushed home each day with the hopes of arriving before his wife cinched up her sweatpants, know exactly what I am talking about.)
The good news is that by adding insulation to your walls, you may find you can wear less insulation on yourself. When your home is comfy and cozy, your wife may be inspired to break out that nightie you bought her for Valentine's Day or to get it on without the blankets. Best of all: insulation is often the most economical energy efficiency improvement you can make to your home (talk about getting "bang for your buck").
It's no wonder that insulation gets us in the mood -- the industry lingo is laden with sexual innuendo. While The Daily Show's Jon Stewart got America laughing over the "caulk" in "Cash for Caulkers," that's just the tip of it (pun intended). Insulation really is sexy stuff. Fiberglass insulation gets "laid" in attics, cellulose gets "blown," and walls get "drilled and filled." In new construction, there's even something called the "flash and fill technique" (experts only).
Apart from enhancing your sex life, insulating your home is the right thing to do for America's future. By increasing the energy efficiency of your home, you help to secure energy independence for our children, to address climate change and to promote an energy efficiency industry that cannot be exported overseas.
Now that's sexy.