CASE STUDY The Key to Real Energy Savings

Aeroseal succeeds in reducing home energy use after a variety of other fix-it projects failed

For homeowner Denise Roberts, winters in Indiana were not only cold, but also expensive. Since replacing here antiquated furnace with a modern heat pump and backup heater, she noticed her winter energy bills continued to climb. At the same time, rooms towards the back of her house never seemed to get enough heat to become really comfortable. Year after year, she would call experts to her home to help solve the problem and each year she would try something new – from having her roof fixed to insulating the attic, to encapsulating the crawl spaces and more. Her heating system was checked and rechecked but still, her winter heating bill soared to around $2,000 – much higher than what others in her area seemed to be paying.

When Reliable Comfort Inc. got a call from Denise last winter, they told her they were sure they knew how to solve her problem. Armed with building performance training from Comfort Institute, the HVAC pros at Reliable understood that a heater is only a part of a complete HVAC system and that properly functioning ductwork is critical to providing the efficiency that the heating unit is designed to deliver. Most importantly, Comfort Instituted helped train and license Reliable to offer Aeroseal, a new duct sealing technology that could quickly and effectively seal a home’s entire duct system in less than a day.

Unlike traditional duct sealing methods, Aeroseal works from inside the ducts to find and seal leaks. This eliminates the need to tear into walls or other obstructions in order to access and fix the ductwork. The computerized system allows technicians to monitor the process, ensuring that the leaks are sealed.

The Aeroseal team at Reliable arrived at Denise’s home in the morning and was done by mid-day. Denise could feel the difference right away. All the rooms in her home were now getting the warm air they needed to be comfortable. A post-project analysis of her energy bills showed a reduction of more than $650/year for winter heating alone. Similar savings is expected for the hot summer days as well.