Energy Efficient Home Helps Family in Need

Coldwater, Ohio – October 6, 2011 – In the small, tight-knit community of Coldwater, Ohio, people are caring and aware of their neighbors.

The Kremer family were experiencing financial difficulties due to medical expenses from their daughter Ava’s degenerative, incurable disease called San Fillipo syndrome, as well as Mr. Kremer’s two hip replacement and leg vein problems.

In an act of kindness, a dinner theatre group from St. Anthony’s Church decided to step in and help.

As part of an overall plan to help the Kremer family financially, the community came together to build them a basic, yet energy-efficient house.

Members of the community volunteered their labor, and a number of manufacturers, including Gaco Western, contributed products to the project.

Local Gaco Western Regional Manager Joe Gift had collaborated on projects with Greg Fortkamp of Fortkamp Foam in the past. When Fortkamp and his parents decided that they should contribute insulation to the proect, he turned to Gift and Gaco Western for help.

“I knew that this family needed a house with modern insulation to save on utility bills,” said Fortkamp.

Gaco Western donated GacoFireStop to insulate the entire house. GacoFireStop is a new, technically advanced foam that meets all the new code requirements.

The Kremer’s new house was built entirely from volunteer labor, making it difficult to coordinate schedules among people from different trades.

When called upon, Fortkamp Foam immediately sprang into action and sprayed GacoFireStop in the attic and in the wall cavities to provide the comfort, safety and lower expenses of an air sealed, energy efficient home.

"We knew that every dollar we helped them save on utilities could go toward their big medical bills," Fortkamp said. "We were happy to help out a friend and neighbor."

During the construction project of the Kremer house, Fortkamp Foam found that all areas that needed to be insulated were easily accessible.

Once in the house, the crew finished their spraying in less than a day. GacoFireStop performed well during spraying, allowing the large crew to move along quickly.

“This is one of the most gratifying projects I’ve done in my career,” Fortkamp said. “I only wish we could do the same for so many that are in need.”

About Gaco Western:
Family-owned and operated for more than 55 years, Gaco Western develops and manufactures the most technologically advanced, proprietary elastomeric coatings and polyurethane spray foam for the construction and waterproofing industries. Using technical innovation to meet the needs of its customers, the Gaco family of brands offers best-of-class solutions for a variety of commercial, industrial, and residential applications. These applications include specialty coatings for roof, pedestrian and traffic decking; and spray polyurethane insulation for commercial, industrial and residential applications. Core products include: GacoWallFoam insulation, GacoDeck, GacoShield, and GacoRoof coatings for residential applications; GacoRoofFoam, GacoFlex LM-60, GacoFlex S-20, GacoPedestrianDeck and GacoAutoDeck for commercial applications. Products are available nationwide. For more information, visit the Gaco Western website by clicking the link below.