Of the many heating and cooling systems we look at, there is one common problem affecting almost every home or business that wastes thousands of dollars in energy costs and the problem is rarely corrected or addressed and just continues to waste year after year. This commonly overlooked issue is duct leakage. Most systems we see leak 35% to 50% of the systems airflow capacity from leaky, unsealed duct work and when this leakage occurs in attics, crawlspaces or unconditioned space, this is all wasted energy dollars. Duct leakage is costing US homeowners $25 billion each year as 50% of your energy bill is spent to heat and cool one’s home. Duct leakage causes heating and cooling system to work harder and run longer causing premature failure and can cause homes to be hard to cool and heat. Leaks can also cause mold growth and dust and debris to be pulled into ducts causing indoor air quality issues. There is an answer to this waste and everyone should explore this remedy.
Liquid aerosol rubber sealant can be injected into the leaky duct system and it seeks out the areas that are not sealed properly and hardens into a complete seal, stopping this huge source of waste. This rubber sealant can seal a hole up to 5/8″ of an inch and is the only way leaky ducts in a wall or hard to reach area can be sealed. Some leaks that are accessible can be sealed with duct cement or mastic, but many have to be sealed with this rubber as they could never be reached without sheetrock removal. This sealing method was developed in the early 1990′s with funding from the EPA, the Department of Energy and the Electric Power Research Institute and has been in use for years. It is completely safe and non-toxic and is warrantied for 10 years to remain intact earning thousands of dollars of savings in energy costs.
The advantages of an airtight duct systems are many. Dollars spent on energy will actually be used to heat and cool the conditioned space and the area will have more even temperatures. There is normally a reduction in humidity and duct particles and if the system is in the attic or crawl space, odors will not be drawn into the living space. To properly seal ducts, they have to be thoroughly cleaned and this step helps provide improved indoor air quality. All the ducts, grills and registers along with the furnace coil, blower wheel and plenums are cleaned and treated with a sanitizer to prevent any mold, bacteria or fungal growth.
Most duct systems can benefit from cleaning, tightening and rubber sealing. Technicians will do computer generated testing to establish a leak rate before any sealing is done and then will give a report showing how tight the duct system is after all work is completed. After the work, a homeowner can be assured that their energy dollars are being spent wisely and they have done all they can do to stop waste in their HVAC system. There are many qualified companies in every community that can visit your home and inspect and check your duct system for leakage. Please give me a call if you would like additional information about this process.
