Aeroseal repairs ductwork leaks from the inside, making these repairs are faster, cleaner, and easier than ever. The company guarantees its product for 10 years, with 40-year simulated stress tests resulting in zero failures.
Data Source: US Energy Information Administration
While you typically can’t see your ductwork, and leaking air is invisible, there are common signs you have duct leaks.
A product of Berkley Lab scientists, Aeroseal technology dates back to 1986, when Berkley’s researchers conducted nationwide research on the impact of energy waste due to leaking ducts.
(WCEC’s Director, Mark Modera, receiving the prestigious ASHRAE Fellow Award)
The idea of using aerosol technology to seal duct leaks belongs to Berkley researcher Mark Modera, who first developed the concept in 1987. By 1994, Berkley Lab filed the first patent on using aerosol technology to address duct leaks. In 1997, Modera launched Aeroseal, Inc.
So, how does the same technology used to create nonstick cooking spray seal leaks in your ductwork?
The technician begins the process by sealing the HVAC system’s grilles and registers. He or she then blows air containing aerosolized adhesive particles through the main opening of the system of ductwork. When this air hits leaks, it attempts to escape the ductwork through the leak. The larger, heavier aerosolized particles cannot change direction as easily as the air carrying them can, causing them to deposit and build up on the leak, eventually closing it entirely (up to 5/8″ in size).
Aeroseal allows easy access to hard-to-reach areas throughout a building. It’s faster, easier, and much less messy than traditional taping and mastic methods. The system includes a computer that gauges leakage before, during, and after treatment. Aeroseal is also safe and effective, regularly used in hospitals and other medical facilities.
$200-$250: The amount of the rebates offered by APS and SRP
Despite successfully sealing over 125,000 ducts, the Aeroseal team still gets a variety of questions about its technology and process. Isley’s appreciates Aeroseal sharing customers’ 10 most common questions. If you’d like to learn more, or you have any other questions that haven’t been answered here, give us a call at 480-736-1805, or just Ask Us!
The cost of Aeroseal in 2017 averages around $2,200 per air conditioning unit for an average size house. Costs vary depending on the size of the home,the amount of ductwork it contains, and the state that you live in. Though traditional duct sealing methods are less expensive, homeowners who choose Aeroseal typically see a return on their investment within two years, particularly in climates with extreme heat or cold where utility savings after ductwork repair are significant. Another area where Aeroseal offers a return on investment is in states where utility companies offer rebates to customers who perform ductwork repairs. For example, two utility providers in Arizona offer rebates of up to $400 for such improvements. In addition, Aeroseal offers a 10-year guarantee, the best in the industry, and testing has proven the product lasts for 40 years or more.
According to Aeroseal, this is customers’ most-asked question. Unfortunately, a definitive answer is not possible, as potential savings depend on how much customers spend to heat and cool their homes, the rate of leakage, the HVAC system, and the climate where they live.
However, here are the average amounts that Aeroseal customers save on a yearly basis. For those living in the Midwest, Northeast, and Mid Atlantic regions, annual savings average between $300 and $400. In the Northwest, Southwest, and South, the average annual savings range between $600 and $900. Arizona customers save an average of $750 each year on their power bills. Again, individual results vary, but this offers a good idea of utility savings potential.
You begin to recognize a return on your investment with your first lowered power bill. What most people mean by this question, though, is how long before those reduced power bills pay off that investment in its entirety. Again, there is no definitive answer. And, again, Aeroseal provides an estimate that varies per homeowner, but averages between 2.5 and 5 years. After that time, the money you save on your utility bills is all profit.
Aeroseal shares an anecdote from one happy client, in which said client talked to his investment broker about whether Aeroseal represented a good investment. The broker told him that no stock or investment offering provided an ROI equal to what he’d get with Aeroseal.
Some customers get confused here, because Aeroseal comes with a 10-year warranty (the strongest warranty in the industry). Their assumption is that 10 years is the point at which they’ll need to reseal their ducts. Not true. The actual lifespan of Aeroseal is much longer. Accelerated testing at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory pitted Aeroseal against traditional tape and mastic duct sealing, with Aeroseal clocking in as the clear winner. Durability tests show Aeroseal lasting 40 years or more.
Aeroseal is safe, nontoxic, and UL-approved. If you want proof, just look to the high-profile medical facilities, such as the Mayo Clinic, who used Aeroseal. What’s more, day-to-day operations continue virtually uninterrupted during application, a clear testament to its safety.
At the time of application, you will notice a mild odor, similar to the scent of Elmer’s glue. The odor dissipates completely within a few hours.
No. Aeroseal technology suspends the aerosolized particles in air. As the air moves through the ductwork, it rapidly changes direction when it encounters a leak. The aerosolized particles do not change direction as quickly as the air carrying them, causing them to adhere to the hole causing the leak, and then to other sealant particles until the sealing hole entirely.
Aeroseal seals leaks up to 5/8 inches, encompassing around 95 percent of typical duct system leakage. Usually, leaks occur around seams and fittings, small holes perfectly suited to Aeroseal’s technology.
When portions of ductwork become disconnected, Aeroseal cannot remedy these cases. However, the Aeroseal process alerts the technician of this problem, and he or she addresses the issue accordingly.
Yes to all three. To date, Aeroseal has not discovered a type of ductwork the technology will not seal effectively, including cement and brick passageways.
While it’s true that the average person can repair ductwork leaks with tape and mastic, it’s also true that reaching all of the leaks is nearly impossible. The majority of ductwork is hidden or else impossible to access manually. To truly impact your HVAC performance and see real savings on your energy bills, you need to repair leaks throughout the entire duct system.
Even newer homes experience leaking ductwork, thanks to climate changes and other external factors, even when the installer used perfect technique.
Aeroseal also offers documentation proving the results, thanks to the computerized analysis performed at the beginning of the process and the post-test performed afterward. Finally, Aeroseal is simply better, with studies proving it to be 60 percent more effective, as well as 30 percent less expensive, than manually sealing ductwork.
Contact Isley’s Home Service for Aeroseal air duct sealing and repair in Mesa, Gilbert, and surrounding Arizona areas.
