FAQ
Q: What size of holes can be sealed using the Aeroseal
air duct sealing process?
A: Holes and cracks up to 5/8th of an inch wide can be completely
sealed.
Q: What does the Air Duct Diagnostic and Inspection tell me?
A: Inspection discovers any obvious break in the duct work and, as
the initial step of the sealing process, the Aeroseal system will
establish an exact amount of leakage in the duct system. Of course,
many people already know that a room or two in their house doesn’t
get good air circulation because they can feel it. Or, they already
know that their energy bill is high because they see it. The
diagnostic measurement, provides a scientifically valid means to
understand the performance of your air duct system. Many people are
surprised to learn that homes typically leak 30% to 40% or more of
their air through air duct leaks.
Q: What are the estimated savings?
A: A series of government reports have shown that air duct sealing
can lead to up to $850 in energy savings per year. Some homeowners
have saved up to 40% on their energy bill. Naturally, exact savings
are difficult to precisely estimate since they depend on a multitude
of variables such as your weather, house condition and design, your
heating and air conditioning system, system usage – as well as other
factors like energy prices. Also, all Aeroseal air duct certified
technicians are qualified to run a program made by the Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) called “Duct Investor”. Duct Investor takes
a comprehensive list of variables and provides a homeowner with the
best available estimate of what they should realize in cost savings.
Q: In a nutshell, how does an Aeroseal air duct seal work?
A: Basically:
- Preseal test to measure the leakage as a baseline for measuring progress.
- Block off the registers with foam or plastic.
- Inject an UL tested and approved aerosol into the duct system.
- Since the air has no place to go except out through the leaks (the registers are blocked), the sealant material is deposited precisely at the air duct holes or cracks where leakage occurs.
- A computer and sensors are used to measure and control the progress. The technology is patented from the University of California and the process is endorsed by the Environmental Protection Agency.
- Postseal test to measure improvements.
- Complete report and certificate printed on the spot to provide a record of improvements.
Q: Does the air duct sealing material become brittle?
A: The vinyl sealing material remains rubbery, never cracking.
Q: How long will the air duct sealing material last?
A: The sealing material has been found in rigorous testing to last
over 10 years without failure.
Q: Do air ducts need to be cleaned before air duct sealing?
A: It's likely that the holes and cracks in the ductwork have
allowed dust and other particulate matter to enter the system. If
you are experiencing extensive levels of household dust, this might
be the reason. In most instances, duct cleaning is not found to be
required prior to Aeroseal sealing. Your Aeroseal contractor can
advise whether it will be necessary to clean your ductwork prior to
sealing.
Q: Does the sealant coat the inside of the ductwork?
A: The sealant only sticks to the holes in the air duct without
coating the rest of the duct.
Q: Is the sealing material used by the Aeroseal air duct
sealing system safe?
A: The sealant material consists of a water-based solution (65%
water) prior to application. The dried sealant material primarily
contains two chemicals, vinyl acetate polymer (VAP) and 2-ethyl-1
hexanol (2E1H). The vast majority of what is left in the duct system
is VAP, which has been used in water-based paints, adhesives, and
hair spray. VAP has been used in chewing gum, and has no OSHA
Exposure Limit. 2E1H is a common industrial solvent and is not
considered toxic by OSHA. A review of the literature showed no ill
effects after long-term exposure to concentrations of 200 ppm. The
largest concentration of 2E1H measured in test houses was 1 ppb
(200,000 times smaller), during Aeroseal injection. The sealant is
UL-listed for smoke generation and flame spread (UL 723 0,0), and
additional testing by UL showed no signs of mold growth or erosion.
Q: Does the sealant leave an odor?
A: The Aeroseal air duct sealing process leaves no lingering odor,
and since the material does not put off gas over time, there will be
no odor for the life of the product.
Q: If the rooms of my home have inconsistent temperatures, can
Aeroseal improve the performance of my heating and A/C system(s)?
A: The Aeroseal sealing system can help improve the comfort of your
home by reducing the difference in temperature levels throughout
your home.
Q: Can the Aeroseal air duct sealing system help reduce my
utility bills?
A: Some homeowners have saved up to 40% of their energy bills after
having the Aeroseal air duct sealing system seal their central air
duct system. A typical homeowner should expect to see measurable
reduction in energy use for Heating and Cooling.
Q: Can the Aeroseal air duct sealing system reduce the noise
made by the return and supply grilles in my home?
A: This noise is usually the result of two conditions. One is
created when the ductwork is undersized and air is rushing through
your air duct system. The other condition is caused when a limited
amount of air is allowed to flow through the indoor coil of your
heating and cooling system. Once the exact problem has been
identified, your contractor can provide the best solution for noise
reduction.
Q: Can the Aeroseal air duct sealing system reduce the amount
of dust in my home?
A: Ductwork runs through attics, crawlspaces, basements, garages,
and walls. Leaking return air ducts pull in dust and other indoor
air pollutants and sends them to the central heating and cooling
system. From there they sent to the living areas of your home. The
Aeroseal air duct sealing system can reduce the amount of leakage by
as much as 90%, reducing dust and other indoor air pollutants from
the conditioned air in your home.
Q: Is the sealing guaranteed or can I get my money back? What
if it doesn't work?
A: Aeroseal provides a 10-year warranty on the seals created with
our process. We have enormous confidence in the quality of our seals
since they are based on Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
research and a patent through the University of California. The EPA
has endorsed Aeroseal, as have numerous local energy utilities.
Note: the warranty is for on-site seal failures and does not cover
additional damage (e.g. an electrician that steps on a duct while
running wiring), wear or tear (i.e. the shelf life of a plastic duct
is passed, rodents eat into a duct, or a duct rusts out), and
subsequent replacement of failed ducting. Overall, in the 75000 plus
seals done to date, we have received negligible number of warranty
claims.