Seal Your Ducts

What Are the Benefits of Sealing the Ducts in Your Home?
There are a number of benefits associated with sealing your ducts to meet the ENERGY STAR Duct Specification, including health, safety, comfort, saving money, and protecting the environment.

• · Health
  Air may leak into your duct system if it is not sealed properly. This can be harmful to your health because air leaks in the return duct may contain fumes from household and garden chemicals, insulation particles, and dust. These items can aggravate existing asthma and allergy problems. Why take the risk? By simply upgrading the energy efficiency of your duct system, you can avoid potential health problems.
• · Safety
  Safety in your home should be your number one priority. Duct leaks can cause equipment to backdraft (i.e., when combustion gases flow back into your home, instead of out the vents). If fireplaces, wood stoves, water heaters, furnaces, clothes dryers or other combustion devices are in these depressurized areas, invisible gases, such as carbon monoxide (CO), can backdraft into your home instead of going up the chimney. Make the smart choice and choose to seal your ducts.
• · Comfort
  Duct leaks and improper duct sizing can affect the comfort level in your home by keeping some places cooler or warmer than others. The source of discomfort in your home may be leaky ducts or improper sizing. Sealing your ducts can help you breathe easier by improving your indoor air quality, reducing the risk of pollutants entering and circulating through your home. They also save energy and money.
• · Save Money
  Leaking ducts can decrease the overall efficiency of your heating and cooling system by as much as 20%. Duct sealing increases efficiency and lowers your energy bills. The typical family could save up to $150 annually.
• · Protect the Environment
  Energy generation and use is the single largest contributor to air pollution. If you're wasting up to 20% of your heating and cooling systems' performance through leaky ducts, your home is using more energy to get the same job done. By sealing your ducts and reducing the amount of energy necessary to comfortably heat or cool your home, you will reduce the amount of air pollution generated.

What is Duct Sealing?

Your home's duct system circulates warm and cool air throughout your home. A duct system that has been properly sealed can safely and efficiently keep your home feeling fresh and comfortable year-round - and save you money too. The following diagram shows two common placements for duct systems.

Ducts can be located in the basement, attic or in a conditioned space. The heating and cooling unit is connected to the duct system enabling it to distribute and to heat and cool your home. Small holes or gaps in your duct system are common and can make your system inefficient. A knowledgeable contractor can perform tests on your duct system to determine if duct sealing will make your home more comfortable, efficient, and safer.

Purchasing new air conditioning and/or heating equipment?
To get the most out of your purchase, there are three important things to remember:

• Ask for an ENERGY STAR qualified model. A salesperson may suggest a less efficient unit and say it is energy-efficient; Look for the ENERGY STAR.
• The efficiency of your heating and cooling system depends on more than the equipment you buy. Proper sizing and installation of your equipment, installation of a programmable thermostat, sealing air ducts, and seasonal maintenance all contribute to a heating and cooling system that delivers comfort and savings.

Prepare for the season now with a more energy efficient heating/cooling system