Oak floors and Energy saving

611 r vouR FEET are cold, so is I the rest of vou."

Flooring and building supply dealers rnight well use this truism to boost sales of oak flooring to their home builder customers, suggests the Oak Flooring Institute.

With the whole nation being asked to lower thermostat settings in the winter to conserve energy, the insulating quality of oak flooring, heretofore considered of little importance, can become a significant contributor to occupant comfort and energy savings.

Oak flooring, like all wood, is a natural insulator. It is made of microscopic hollow cells and these air spaces produce high insulating values. It would take a concrete wall 15" thick to equal the insulating qualities of just one inch of wood, according to the Oak Flooring Institute.

Most people are aware that hot air normally rises. But heat also flows to cold. In a house where walls and ceiling are well insulated the heat will be attracted to and dissipate through the coldest surface, even if this is the floor.

NATUBAL insulating value of beautiful oak floors contributes to comfort when thermostat settings are lowered to conserve energy.

Since most people feel chilled when their feet are cold, the tendency is to raise the thermostat setting. While an oak floor doesn't guarantee warm feet, it does have much higher insulating value than synthetic flooring materials or carpeting. When combined with proper subfloor and under-

Story at a Glance

Dealers can use the energy saving, insulating qualities of oak flooring as a powerful sales tool.

floor insulation, the floor temperature can be maintained close to room temperature and thus contribute to greater comfort.

This is particularly important where a concrete slab foundation is involved. Hardwood flooring can prevent the clammy feeling peculiar to concrete floors, particularly if it is separated from the slab by furring strips which provide additional air spaces.

Complete information on installation of oak flooring in conventional crawl space houses as well as those built on concrete slabs is available from the Oak Flooring Institute, the information and promotion affiliate of the National Oak Flooring Manufacturers' Association, 814 Sterick Building, Memphis, Tn. 38103.