The Importance Of Duct Sealing
Save Energy, Save Money
Energy is being lost unnecessarily in homes through heating and air-conditioning duct leaks resulting from deterioration or improper installation. By correcting these problems, Oregon homeowners can save energy and money, and electric utilities can avoid building costly new fossil-fueled power plants and thus reduce growth in emissions of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere.
Ducts that pass through unconditioned spaces—attics, garages, or crawl
spaces—have a good chance of losing energy. Losses can be very high if the
ducts are uninsulated. Even when the ducts are wrapped with insulation,
leaks at joints and corners can be big energy losers.
Leaks in supply ducts lose heated or cooled (conditioned) air to the attic
or crawl space or between floors before the air can be delivered inside the
house, wasting energy.
Energy is also lost because differences in air pressure result from leaks
in supply-and-return ducts. Air escaping from leaks in supply ducts must be
replaced with air from outside the house, which is often much warmer or
cooler than the conditioned air. "Additional energy is needed to condition
the replacement air.
The seal between the air conditioner and the metal supply-and-return ducts
often fails on rooftop-mounted units because the sealant material
deteriorates after long-term exposure to ambient temperatures and the sun.
Also, the air conditioner pulls away from the ducts as it settles on its
mounting supports.
Sealing duct
leaks in homes can save energy and money by reducing duct leakages by
30&. A house with newly sealed ducts reduce the energy consumption by 16%.