In homes with forced air heating and cooling systems, ducts are used to circulate air conditioning throughout the house. Unfortunately, up to 30% of the air that passes through these ducts is lost due to leaks, holes, and poor connections. This leads to higher utility bills and difficulty in keeping the house comfortable. To combat this, many homeowners opt for duct sealing.
This process involves sealing the ducts from the inside with a sealant called Aeroseal, which was developed at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory to cover energy leaks from buildings. Duct sealing can be advantageous in many ways. It can reduce energy costs by increasing static pressure, which reduces air flow. This means cooler duct temperatures and lower energy bills. It can also enhance indoor air quality by preventing interstitial infiltration into the joist.
Additionally, it can help protect expensive equipment, appliances, and homes from faster deterioration. Nevertheless, there are some risks associated with duct sealing as well. If the ducts are too small or restricted, sealing them could cause damage to the air conditioning equipment. Additionally, if the ducts are undersized, sealing them could lead to an increase in static pressure that could be substantial. This could lead to condensate discharge from the evaporator coil and a lack of air conditioning in certain areas of the home. It is essential to have your ducts professionally sealed so that you can avoid these risks and take advantage of duct sealing.
Make sure that airflow tests are conducted to guarantee adequate airflow in cooling mode. This will help ensure that you don't inadvertently sign the death warrant on your air conditioning equipment. To sum up, duct sealing can be beneficial in many ways. It can reduce energy costs and improve indoor air quality. However, it is important to have your ducts professionally sealed so that you can avoid any potential risks associated with it.
Make sure that airflow tests are conducted to ensure adequate airflow in cooling mode.
