Sealing and Insulating Heating and Cooling Ducts in the House to Increase Efficiency
Air leaks within your attic and basement can really drive up home heating costs if left unattended. This article provides some do-it-yourself tips about how to seal and insulate air conditioning ducts.
Just about the most energy efficient methods to make your home feel much more comfortable is by sealing and insulating your duct system.
In relation to comfort, leaky air affects us most throughout the winter. While drafty doors and windows contribute to the situation, most significant air leaks in homes originate from attics and basements.
If reducing your winter heating bill is a top priority, then leaving basement and attic leaks unaltered is a major mistake. Heat generated by homes during the winter naturally rises towards the attic. Leaky attics allow heat to exit your home, providing cold air to be able to enter in the task.
Repairing basement and attic leaks are necessary to maintaining a cushty home. In houses with forced-air air conditioning systems, ducts distribute conditioned air throughout the house. In a typical house, however, some of the air that moves through the duct system is lost because of leaks and poorly sealed connections. This brings about higher electric bills and difficulty keeping your house comfortable; regardless of how high the thermostat is set.
Since some ducts are concealed in walls and between floors, repairing them can be difficult. However, exposed ducts in attics, basements, crawlspaces and garages could be repaired by sealing the leaks with duct sealant.
In addition, insulating ducts running through spaces that often become hot in summer or cold in winter for example attics, garages and crawlspaces can help to save significant energy.
If your areas in need of sealing and insulation are accessible, then employing a contractor to treat the issue could be avoided by doing the work yourself.
Step one toward fully-insulated ducts is sealing all the points inside the duct run to protect against air loss and drops in temperature. This is achieved with a mastic or sealant that may be brushed on and left to dry not less than 24 hours. How much quicker the air moves through the ducts determines how well it will hold temperature.
Well-sealed joints permit the ducts to carry air on the set temperature. Mastic is used because it won’t degrade or shrink from the joint. Duct tape shouldn’t be used for this purpose, as it degrades and decomposes, leaving the joint leaky and unprotected.
Once the ducts happen to be sealed, an insulating jacket ought to be wrapped across the duct. Duct insulation is normally made of fiberglass. Insulators may use rigid insulation or faced fiberglass. The fiberglass surface faces in toward the duct while the foil protects the surface of the wrap, preventing heat loss and protecting the fiberglass within it. The insulation is applied in sheets which are cut to suit and seamed.
In the event the ducts are properly sealed, you can enjoy more peace of mind in your home while spending less on energy costs.
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