Home ECO-nomics: Moen Offers Smart Green Tips for Fix A Leak Week, March 12-18th

NORTH OLMSTED, OH--(Marketwire - Mar 15, 2012) - We're all doing our part to be a bit more environmentally conscious these days, and if you need a jump start to begin thinking a bit more green, this week is the perfect time to do just that. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is encouraging consumers to take simple steps toward going green -- while also saving green -- during Fix-A-Leak Week, taking place the week of March 12-18.

Moen, the number one faucet brand in North America, has worked diligently to support, promote and advance sustainability within the organization and the plumbing industry. The company has been recognized with the 2011 EPA WaterSense^® Excellence Award, as well as the 2010 EPA WaterSense Manufacturer Partner of the Year Award, for its work to protect the future of our nation's water supply through the introduction and ongoing support of water-efficient products, programs and practices, while keeping consumers' needs top-of-mind.

Here are a few smart green tips from Moen, to help kick start your green efforts this year:

Home Is Where it All Begins
From organic produce to low-phosphate detergents -- home is the heart of all things green. Whatever touches the kitchen and bath has become the first place for consumer evaluation and potential adoption.

Kitchen
Fortunately, the kitchen is one area where consumers have the most options for environmentally conscious products that have the most cost saving opportunity. From ENERGY STAR^®-qualified appliances to green cleaning, and even a few surprise products, homeowners have a virtual eco-wonderland of possibilities. A few standouts include:

• Fix A Leak. Have you heard the drip, drip, drip from your kitchen faucet? According to the EPA, an American home can waste, on average, more than 10,000 gallons of water every year due to running toilets, dripping faucets, and other household leaks. So, if you have a leak, don't put it off -- be sure to update your kitchen faucet immediately. Moen offers a variety of styles in the kitchen, such as high-arc, pullout models -- the most preferred consumer design -- in many on-trend finishes. So, not only will your new update ensure you're not wasting water -- but it will also create a stylish and functional addition to your kitchen sink.
  
  
• Awesome Appliances. Refrigerators, dishwashers and water dispensers, oh my! ENERGY STAR-qualified appliances offer the benefits of efficiency, features and convenience. For example, new models of GE refrigerators that have earned ENERGY STAR are 20 percent more energy efficient than those that do not qualify for ENERGY STAR; and are 40 percent more energy efficient than conventional refrigerators sold in 2001. And, the energy-saving options available are equal to their traditional counterparts, if not more plentiful -- with side-by-side, top- and bottom-freezer styles all available.
  
  
• Green Cleaning. If scrubbing pots and pans makes you want to throw in the towel; pick up a natural sponge instead. Scotch-Brite^™ Greener Clean Natural Fiber Scrub Sponges and Scour Pads are new dish scrubbers, made from the agave plant, that are tough enough to remove dried-on food, but gentle enough to use on delicate surfaces, like non-stick pans, without scratching.

Bath
We've all heard the sustainable tips for the bathroom... take shorter showers... unplug styling items when they're not in use... but there are some new green items for the bath that will help you be more efficient, without giving it a second thought. Examples include:

• Fix a Leak. In the bath, faucet leaks are a significant culprit for water waste. But even if your bathroom faucet is in operational order, consider updating with a new water-saving model. As of 2009, all Moen^® lavatory faucets are certified to meet WaterSense criteria, meaning Moen bath faucets feature a 1.5 gpm flow rate (compared to the standard flow rate of 2.2 gpm). The result is water conservation of up to 32 percent -- without sacrificing performance.
  
  The Moen Caldwell^™ lavatory faucet, which is available in Chrome, Brushed Nickel and Mediterranean Bronze finishes, not only looks great -- but it also features a 1.5 gallon per minute (gpm) flow rate versus the industry standard of 2.2 gpm -- offering up to a 32 percent water savings.
  
  
• Let There Be Light. We all need a little extra light in the bathroom, but that doesn't mean you need to be wasteful. While Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs (CFLs) cost a bit more than traditional light bulbs, they will save more than $40 in electricity costs over their lifetime, and use about 75 percent less energy than standard incandescent bulbs... all while lasting up to 10 times as long. Plus, homeowners no longer need to worry about poor light quality. Spiral CFL light bulbs are now available in colors that replicate halogen, traditional fluorescent and full-spectrum light sources.
  
  
• Shower Power. It's the place where we waken our senses; or relax and unwind. While "green" and "shower" might not be words we typically associate with each other; there are new products that combine exceptional performance with water-saving benefits. The Envi^® Eco-Performance rainshower from Moen features innovative Immersion^® technology -- a self-pressurizing system that increases the force and flow of water delivery, while offering a flow rate of 2.0 gallons per minute, 20 percent less than the industry standard.
  
  
• Sustainable Salt. When you're ready to take a break from the daily routine and take a hot bath... even in this blissful setting, you can still be conscious of the environment. AVEENO^® Soothing Bath Treatment is one of the first products to receive the Green Good Housekeeping Seal, meaning it has been reviewed by the scientists at the Good Housekeeping Research Institute in terms of overall effectiveness and environmental criteria. Made of 100 percent natural colloidal oatmeal, the bath treatment works as a cleanser while also relieving itchy, irritated skin.

"The green landscape of consumer products can definitely be overwhelming -- the volume of green products available to U.S. consumers increased by 73 percent between 2009 and 2010 alone," explained Jack Suvak, senior director of Research and Insights, Moen. "But, by making smart choices and selecting products from brands they trust, homeowners today can have it all -- cost-effective, no-sacrifice solutions that deliver on their sustainable promises."

For more information about sustainable products from Moen, visit moen.com/eco-performance

About Moen
As the #1 faucet brand in North America, Moen offers a diverse selection of thoughtfully designed kitchen and bath faucets, showerheads, accessories, bath safety products and kitchen sinks for residential applications -- each delivering the best possible combination of meaningful innovation, useful features, on-trend styling and lasting value. In addition, Moen^® Commercial offers superior performing products that deliver lower lifetime costs for today's facilities.

Moen has worked diligently to support, promote and advance sustainability within the organization and the plumbing industry. The company has been recognized with the 2011 EPA WaterSense^® Excellence Award, as well as the 2010 EPA WaterSense Manufacturer Partner of the Year Award, for its work to protect the future of our nation's water supply through the introduction and ongoing support of water-efficient products, programs and practices, while keeping consumers' needs top-of-mind.

Moen is part of Fortune Brands Home & Security, Inc. (NYSE: FBHS), which creates products and services that help fulfill the dreams of homeowners and help people feel more secure. The company is a leader in the home and security industries and features well-known and trusted brands like Moen^® faucets, Master Lock^® padlocks and security products, MasterBrand Cabinets^™, Therma-Tru^® entryway systems and Simonton Windows^®. For more information, please visit www.fbhs.com.

WaterSense is a registered trademark of U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

All other trademarks and service marks not specifically mentioned are the property of their respective owners.