Editor's Notepad

How to Seal Leaky Air Ducts

comments (0) November 14th, 2011 in Blogs

Scott Gibson, contributing writer

Sealing from the inside:

Aeroseal uses a process in which a non-toxic mist is sprayed inside the home's ductwork system. The company says the aerosol finds and seals even the most inaccessible leaks.

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Mark Renfrow is facing a problem common in homes with forced-air heating and cooling systems: Leaky air ducts.

More from greenbuildingadvisor.com

Green Basics: Forced Air HVAC Systems

Keeping Ducts Indoors

Sealing Ducts: What's Better, Tap or Mastic?

Q&A: Is it Permissible to Apply Mastic Over Old Joint Tape?

Duct Leakage Testing

Many homeowners don't recognize how serious a problem that can be. In addition to wasted heating and cooling dollars, leaking ducts can contribute to a variety of indoor air quality problems. Even though the problem has been addressed by newer building codes, it is still widespread.

Writing in the Q&A forum at GreenBuildingAdvisor, Renfrow describes efforts he's made to seal ducts in his 3,400-sq. ft. home. He's called in a contractor to help, and some progress has been made. But he's frustrated over the difficulty of pinpointing the source of leaks more exactly--at least to narrow them down to the supply or return side of the system.

It's a chore to peel back the insulation, seal connections and seams with mastic and re-insulate the ducts. Where ducts aren't easily accessible, the job is even more difficult. It all makes Renfrow wonder about the possibility of sealing ducts from the inside. Is this an option for his house?

That's the topic for this week's Q&A Spotlight.

Read the whole article at Green Building Advisor