I am always looking for new and better ways to reduce household energy consumption.
- I’ve read that approximately 50% of energy costs are the result of heating and cooling.
Because of the severe weather in my local area, we switch between relying on the furnace to running the air conditioner with very little break in-between. I’ve invested into thermal-paned windows, an Energy Star rated front door, attic insulation, caulk and weatherstripping. I’ve installed a smart thermostat to help with temperature control and energy savings. Just recently, I came across a list of energy saving strategies. The article mentioned that the average duct system allows up to 30% of conditioned air to escape. That’s a significant amount of heated or cooled air just disappearing. If the maximum amount of air produced by the furnace or air conditioner fails to reach the intended destination, the system needs to run more often and for longer cycles. The system uses more energy and my utility bills go up. Plus, the rooms of the house aren’t going to be as comfortable. There’s the potential for outside pollutants to enter the ductwork and get spread throughout the living area. The added strain on the heating and cooling equipment increases the potential for malfunction. I called a local HVAC contractor and had my duct system tested for leaks. The testing revealed 20% energy losses through small holes and cracks at the seams. I then invested into a process called Aeroseal. The technician blocked off all of the supply and return registers. He pumped highly pressurized air into the ducts. This air contained adhesive polymer particles. As the air leaked from imperfections, those particles adhered to the edges, accumulated and built up an airtight seal.