TOLEDO, Ohio, April 2, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- For Owens Corning Foam Insulation ("Owens Corning") (NYSE: OC), "Science Doesn't Lie" when it comes to two rigid foam insulation products: Extruded Polystyrene (XPS) insulation and Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) insulation. The company is using scientific data, video and in-person demos to educate architects, builders and contractors about the proven performance, reliability, and manufacturing characteristics of XPS versus EPS.

"When comparing XPS versus EPS, moisture matters most," said Herbert Slone, R.A., Manager of Commercial Building Systems for Owens Corning. "Independent studies clearly show that XPS is more moisture resistant than EPS and that XPS better maintains R-value. Resisting water absorption and maintaining R-value is critical for high performance insulation.

"Through this campaign, objective data from credible, third-party sources will be made accessible to our customers, architects, builders and contractors so they can better understand the proven benefits of XPS insulation," Slone added.

To help separate fact from fiction, Owens Corning is providing an in-depth examination of XPS and EPS across several categories:



    --  Moisture Resistance - EPS absorbs more water than XPS in laboratory
        tests and in application, resulting in reduced performance and lost
        insulation power (R-value). Experts have reviewed numerous independent
        technical studies and their findings confirm that XPS performs better
        than EPS in below grade applications. As such, the use of EPS below
        grade is limited in certain critical applications, such as for
        insulating frost protected shallow foundations (FPSF), as cited in
        design standards published by the International Building Code (IBC) and
        the International Residential Code (IRC), among others.  "Most buildings
        are not FPSF, but, what these consensus studies conclusively confirm is
        that XPS resists water and maintains R-value better than EPS," said
        Slone.





    --  R-Value - XPS maintains R-value better than EPS. The EPS industry claims
        otherwise by comparing Owens Corning's FOAMULAR(®)( )XPS warranty of
        90% of its R-value to the warranty of 100% R-value for EPS. However, 90%
        of FOAMULAR's R-5 value is always more than 100% of EPS products that
        typically range from R-3.6 to 4.3. "And the warranty for FOAMULAR(®) is
        for the lifetime of the product," said Slone.      EPS also claims that
        their R-value is higher when tested at lower temperatures. This is known
        to be true for both EPS and XPS. What is not mentioned is that when EPS
        absorbs water, its R-value gets lower - even when tested at lower mean
        temperature - while XPS continues to have a higher R-value at lower mean
        temperatures even when exposed to water.      "The purpose of insulation
        is to insulate and retain R-value, even when exposed to water for long
        periods of time," said Slone. "In real applications, insulation is
        exposed to water. Recognition of 'real world' conditions is important
        when assessing performance."

    --  Manufacturing Process - XPS is manufactured in a continuous extrusion
        process that produces a homogeneous "closed cell" matrix with each cell
        fully enclosed by polystyrene walls. Because of the homogenous cross
        section of XPS, very little water is absorbed into the cell structure.
        EPS is manufactured by expanding spherical beads in a mold, using heat
        and pressure to fuse the beads together. While each individual bead is a
        closed cell environment, there are significant open spaces between each
        bead where water enters.
    --  Structural Integrity - XPS maintains product integrity because of its
        moisture resistance - water does not penetrate and break down material
        during freeze/thaw cycles. EPS, on the other hand, is capable of
        absorbing water and freezing, even with a facer on, which will break
        down material over time.

"There's a great deal of confusion and misinformation in the marketplace about how EPS holds up in a variety of commercial and residential insulation applications," added Slone. "The truth is that EPS just doesn't compare to the moisture resistance and long-lasting performance benefits of XPS."

Owens Corning(TM) FOAMULAR(®) XPS Insulation is well-suited for multiple commercial and residential applications. Among its key features include the following sustainable benefits: the only XPS to have achieved GREENGUARD Gold Certification, with strict certification for occupants with sensitivities and the only XPS that is third-party certified by Scientific Certification Systems (SCS) with a minimum 20 percent recycled content.

For additional information on the differences between XPS and EPS, please visit www.owenscorning.com/sciencedoesntlie. For more information about Owens Corning's products and programs, visit www.OwensCorning.com or call 1-800-GET-PINK(®).

About Owens Corning
 Owens Corning (NYSE: OC) is a leading global producer of residential and commercial building materials, glass-fiber reinforcements and engineered materials for composite systems. A Fortune 500® company for 59 consecutive years, Owens Corning is committed to driving sustainability by delivering solutions, transforming markets and enhancing lives. In business for more than 75 years, Owens Corning is a market-leading innovator of glass-fiber technology with sales of $5.3 billion in 2013 and about 15,000 employees in 27 countries. Additional information is available at www.owenscorning.com.

SOURCE Owens Corning