Duct Leakage a leak in your wallet?
Imagine paying for the electricity to run an air pump that delivers about 1200 cubic feet per minute of air. Now, imagine that the pump is taking air that is about 110 degrees Fahrenheit (And, yes, you have paid for the natural gas to heat up that air, too!) and pumping it from the inside of your home to the outside on a cold blustery winter day.
Oh, but it doesn’t end there: Your nice big air pump is sucking the air from inside the house, so the house has to replenish that air with nice icy cold air from outside the house. It actually sucks this “refreshing” mass of air in through whatever holes or cracks that your house may have. This is called external duct leakage. It costs a homeowner tons of money in increased utility bills, increases wear and tear on your heating and cooling equipment, is relatively inexpensive to correct, and is almost always a cost effective energy improvement to make.
Be especially concerned if you have any ductwork that runs through unconditioned spaces like a crawl space or attic. If so, contact a certified professional like a HERS Energy Rater or a BPI Building Analyst. They can test the duct system, quantify the amount of leakage, identify specific leakage sites, and interpret the results to give you guidance on a plan of action. If the duct system is relatively accessible (like in an attic or crawl space) a relatively handy homeowner, armed with elbow grease and the appropriate guidance and materials, can accomplish the repairs very cheaply. Or, if you’d rather be watching football, ask your RESNET or BPI professional for recommendations on companies that specialize in this type of work.
You’ll have a warmer, healthier home for it, and save a wad of cash and energy day after day, week after week, month after month, year after year…
Filed under: energy efficient illinois, Energy Saving Tips, Home Energy Audit, Homeowner Tools
