Aeroseal repairs heating ducts that leak money

It is impossible for anyone who lived through last year's Polar Vortex to forget the bitter cold and heavy snow it brought to Chicago and much of the country. The unbelievable temperatures also resulted in higher heating bills for homeowners.

"When we have severe winters like that, it is natural to want to go home and hide from the cold," said Joseph St. Pierre, sales director of Aeroseal Solutions, based in Crystal Lake. "And in order to make our homes as warm as possible, we often end up closing off certain parts of our homes that don't stay as warm as others."

It seems as if every home has a room or area that is barely used because it doesn't warm up in the winter or cool down in the summer. Nothing seems to help, so that room basically becomes wasted space, St. Pierre said.

"The living space within our home automatically becomes smaller when we do that, so even though we are paying taxes on a full-sized home, we aren't getting to enjoy a full-sized house," he said.

Chances are, however, that this wasted space can be reclaimed thanks to a process that seals gaps in a home's ductwork and allows heated and cooled air to better reach those rooms, which often are either farthest from the furnace or which have ductwork gaps separating them from the furnace.

Gaps and holes in a home's ductwork waste heated and cooled air, resulting in higher energy costs and more stress on furnaces and air conditioning systems. In addition, those gaps allow dust and particles of insulation from between the walls to pollute a home's breathable air, St. Pierre said.

"According to the Environmental Protection Agency, 90 percent of all of the dust blowing through the average home is actually tiny particles of insulation," he said. "So, homeowners are taking a double hit by wasting 30 (percent) to 40 percent on their energy costs and breathing in pollutants and allergens, too."

In order to attack this problem, the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory at the University of California at Berkeley developed a material and system in the 1990s to seal gaps in ductwork. The system closes gaps ranging from those that are practically microscopic to those as large as five-eighths of an inch in diameter.

The water-based vinyl polymer sealant is similar in consistency to chewing gum or hair spray and has been approved by Underwriter's Laboratories, the EPA and the Department of Energy. The sealant is forced into a home's ducts after all of the vents have been plugged and the entire system has been pressurized, St. Pierre said. Because of the pressurization, the vaporized sealant is forced into any gaps or holes that exist without coating the entire interior of the ductwork.

"You don't want the sealant to coat the entire interior of the ductwork because it might attract airborne dirt. You only want it to plug the holes," he said.

The four- to eight-hour process is monitored by a sophisticated computer system involving pressure tubes inserted throughout the ductwork. Certified reports on ductwork leaks before, during and after the application are given to the homeowner. The Aeroseal duct-sealing system effectively seals a home's ductwork from the inside by using a clean, safe material that is guaranteed for ten years, but lab tested to remain effective in excess of 40 years.

Several years ago the Aeroseal process even won the "Energy 100" award from the U.S. Department of Energy. The DOE also rated the Aeroseal duct-sealing process as one of the 23 most beneficial technologies to American consumers that has been developed since the agency's creation.

Consumer Reports magazine touted the system in its October, 2014, issue, writing: "duct sealing is a great way to improve efficiency because 25 (percent) to 40 percent of conditioned air is lost through ducts that leak. You'll need to hire a pro, but sealing can save hundreds of dollars per year. Microscopic particles of sealant are blown into ductwork, where they form airtight bonds over leaks."

The process has also received awards and recognition from The Green Building Council, This Old House magazine, Popular Science magazine and "Hometime" with Dean Johnson, a national PBS television program.

"The US Department of Energy estimates that in the Midwest, homeowners who invest in the Aeroseal process will save between $300 and $500 per year on utility costs alone, not counting the reduced wear and tear on your heating and cooling systems," said Lauren Schubert, marketing coordinator for Aeroseal Solutions. "It is possible that you could get a total return on your investment in three to five years and that estimate is based on gas prices not increasing."

Since homes vary in size, individual cost estimates must be given. They are based on square footage and number of furnaces a home has, St. Pierre said. But financing options are available and homeowners who opt to finance the Aeroseal work could come close to a wash each month when they count the money they are saving on energy bills and the monthly payment on the Aeroseal work.

"And they will be enjoying a much more comfortable home all that time," he added.

Aeroseal travels all over the Chicago area from northwest Indiana to southern Wisconsin to seal ductwork. Seven out of ten times they also clean the ductwork before sealing it, giving the ducts a fresh start.

Currently, the company is also working on numerous commercial jobs, as well as projects in area hospitals, all of which also see the value of preventing leaks in their HVAC ductwork, St. Pierre said.

"Going into a home and, after several hours of work, being able to give the homeowners back a room that hadn't been usable has been hands down the most gratifying thing I have ever done. The instant returns homeowners get from this application are amazing. It is a real investment in your home and we don't have to open up walls or floors. It is all done from the inside of the ductwork," St. Pierre said.

"The ductwork that is being installed in homes today is the same as the ductwork that was installed in homes 100 years ago. It doesn't matter whether your home is old or new, the Aeroseal process can help you save energy, increase comfort and improve air quality," he added.

For more information about Aeroseal Solutions, visit www.AerosealSolutions.com or call (815) 356-7325 (SEAL).