Duct sealing has been identified as one the most cost effective ways to improve the efficiency of your forced air heating system. Duct sealing greatly improves the efficiency of your system by making sure more heated air get to the register. When you schedule a residential duct sealing with a Performance Tested Comfort Systems (PTCS) certified duct sealing technician, he will conduct a pre-test of your duct work to establish a baseline leakage amount. After the initial amount of leakage is established, the technician will use mastic to seal any leaks he identifies. Once sealed, a second leakage test will be conducted to show the reduction in leakage achieved.
Qualifications for receiving an incentive
In order to qualify for MEC’s residential duct sealing incentive program you must meet the following requirements:
• Must have an electric forced air furnace, air source heat pump, or ground source heat pump.
• The majority of your ducts must be in unheated space such as an unheated crawl space or basement.
• Duct sealing must be completed by a Performance Tested Comfort Systems (PTCS) certified duct sealing technician.
Benefits of Duct Sealing
• Saves Money: Sealing leaky ducts can increase the efficiency of your forced air heating or cooling system by making sure more of the air you spend money to heat or cool gets to the register instead of leaking into your crawl space. Properly sealing your ducts can reduce heating bills by up to 20%.
• Increased Comfort: When duct systems are leaky, money is wasted heating and cooling spaces that aren’t intended to be heated or cooled. The result can be rooms that are not comfortable no matter how you set the thermostat.
• Air Quality: Leaky ducts can do more than waste money, they can contribute to poor indoor air quality. Depending on where in the duct system leaks occur, the effects can include: drawing musty smelling air from crawlspaces and basements, back drafting combustion appliances and causing carbon monoxide to enter the living area.
How to get started
Contact a member of our Energy Smart team for a list of qualifying PTCS certified duct sealing technicians in your area.