ENERGY STAR duct sealing can improve comfort, indoor air quality and heating-and-cooling efficiency. Leaky ducts waste conditioned air before it ever reaches the rooms where you need it.
Sealed Ducts Help HVAC Systems Work Better
For this week’s Do 1 Thing ENERGY STAR tip, it’s time to check your ducts and air vents for leaks. And, make sure furniture, rugs and cats aren’t blocking air flow for maximum energy efficiency!
What are the benefits of duct sealing?
A duct system that is well-designed and properly sealed can make your home more comfortable, energy efficient, and safer.
Indoor Air Quality
Fumes from household and garden chemicals, insulation particles, and dust can enter your duct system, aggravating asthma and allergy problems. Sealing ducts can help improve indoor air quality by reducing the risk of pollutants entering ducts and circulating through your home.
Safety
During normal operation, gas appliances such as water heaters, clothes dryers, and furnaces release combustion gases (like carbon monoxide) through their ventilation systems. Leaky ductwork in your heating and cooling system may cause “backdrafting,” where these gases are drawn back into the living space, rather than expelled to the outdoors. Sealing leaks can minimize this risk.
Save Money
Leaky ducts can reduce heating and cooling system efficiency by as much as 20 percent. Sealing and insulating ducts increases efficiency, lowers your energy bills, and can often pay for itself in energy savings. Plus, if you’re planning to install new heating and cooling equipment, a well-designed and sealed duct system may allow you to downsize to a smaller, less costly heating and cooling system that will provide better dehumidification.
Protect the Environment
Energy used in our homes often comes from the burning of fossil fuels at power plants, which contributes to smog, acid rain, and global warming. Simply put, the less energy we use in our homes, the less air pollution we generate. By sealing your ducts and reducing the amount of energy necessary to comfortably heat or cool your home, you can reduce the amount of air pollution generated.
Comfort
Sealing and insulating ducts can help make your house more comfortable—for example, rooms that are too hot in the summer or too cold in the winter.
If you want more info, view ENERGY STAR’s Duct Sealing brochure here. You’ll find info on finding the right contractor.
Please feel free to share this tip, and join the discussion on social media, with #Do1ThingENERGYSTAR.
Related: home energy-efficiency upgrades that can lower utility bills.
Start With the Biggest Leaks
Connections near furnaces, air handlers, plenums and accessible attic or basement ducts are often good places to inspect first. Proper sealing and insulation can reduce wasted energy and improve room-to-room comfort.
For more home-efficiency ideas, see our home energy savings guide.
Conclusion
Duct sealing is not glamorous, but it can be one of the most practical home-efficiency upgrades. Better airflow means less wasted heating and cooling.
Source: ENERGY STAR.
