U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
ENERGY STAR
Sealing
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WORKING WITH
A CONTRACTOR
Many homeowners choose to hire a professional
contractor for duct improvement projects. Most
heating and cooling equipment contractors also
repair ductwork. Look for a contractor that will:
• Inspect the whole duct system, including the attic,
crawlspace, garage and basement as needed.
• Evaluate the system's supply and return air balance.
Many systems have air return ducts that are too small.
• Repair damaged and disconnected ducts and straighten
out flexible ducts that are tangled or crushed.
• Seal all leaks and connections with mastic, metal tape,
or an aerosol-based sealant.
• Seal all registers and grills tightly to the ducts.
• Insulate ducts in unconditioned areas with duct
insulation that carries an R-value of 6 or higher.
• Include a new filter as part of any duct system
improvement.
• Evaluate air flow after repairs are completed.
• Ensure there is no backdrafting of gas or oil-burning
appliances, and conduct a combustion safety test
after ducts are sealed.
HIGH UTILITY BILLS?
STUFFY ROOMS? DUSTY HOUSE?
IT COULD BE YOUR DUCTS.
A duct system that is properly sealed and insulated can make
your home more comfortable, energy efficient, and safer.
Making improvements to your duct system can:
Improve Comfort
Sealing and insulating ducts can help with common comfort
problems, such as rooms that are too hot in the summer or too
cold in the winter.
Enhance Indoor Air Quality
Fumes from household and garden chemicals, insulation
particles, and dust can enter your duct system, aggravating
asthma and allergy problems. Sealing ducts can help improve
indoor air quality by reducing the risk of pollutants entering
ducts and circulating through your home.
Promote Safety
During normal operation, gas appliances such as water
heaters, clothes dryers, and furnaces release combustion
gases (like carbon monoxide) through their venting systems.
Leaky ductwork in your heating and cooling system may
cause "backdrafting," where these gases are drawn back into
the living space, rather than expelled to the outdoors. Sealing
leaks can reduce this risk.
Save Money
Leaky ducts can reduce heating and cooling system efficiency
by as much as 20 percent. Sealing and insulating ducts
increases efficiency, lowers your energy bills, and can often
pay for itself in energy savings. Plus, if you're planning to
install new heating and cooling equipment, a well-designed
and sealed duct system may allow you to downsize to a
smaller, less costly heating and cooling system that will
provide better dehumidification.
Protect the Environment
When power plants burn fossil fuels to make electricity, they
release greenhouse gases. By sealing ductwork and using
less energy at home, you can help reduce these emissions
and fight global warming.
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WHAT IS
ENERGY STAR*?
ENERGY STAR is the government-backed program
that helps us all to save money and protect our
environment with energy-efficient products and
practices. Whether you are looking to replace old
appliances, remodel your home, or buy a new house,
ENERGY STAR can help.
More than 60 kinds of products, including lighting,
appliances, televisions, computers, heating and
cooling equipment, and even new homes, can earn
the government's ENERGY STAR label. ENERGY STAR
also offers best practice solutions, like duct sealing,
that can make your home more comfortable and
reduce your energy costs.
LEARN MORE AT
energystar.gov
For more information on duct sealing,
visit www.energystar.gov
or call
1-888-STAR-YES (1-888-782-7937)
KNOW YOUR DUCTS
In houses with forced-air heating and cooling systems,
ducts are used to distribute conditioned air throughout
the house. But in typical houses, about 20% of the air that
moves through the duct system is lost due to leaks,
holes, and poorly connected ducts. The result is higher
utility bills and difficulty keeping the house comfortable,
no matter how the thermostat is set.
Some signs that your home may have leaky, poorly
insulated, or inefficient ducts:
• you have high summer and winter utility bills;
•you have rooms that are difficult to heat and cool;
• you have stuffy rooms that never seem to feel
comfortable;
•your ducts are located in an attic, unfinished basement,
crawlspace, or the garage;
• you find tangled or kinked flexible ducts in your system.
SIMPLE STEPS TO IMPROVING
DUCT PERFORMANCE
Because ducts are often concealed in walls, ceiling,
attics, and basements, repairing them can be difficult.
But there are things that you can do to improve duct
performance in your house.
Start by sealing air leaks using mastic sealant or metal
tape and insulating all the ducts that you can access.
Never use duct tape, as it is not long-lasting.
Also, make sure that the connections at vents and
registers are well-sealed where they meet the floors,
walls, and ceiling. These are common locations to find
leaks and disconnected ductwork.
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COMMON DUCT
PROBLEMS
AND SOLUTIONS
PROBLEMS:
A. Leaky, torn, and disconnected ducts
B. Poorly sealed registers and grills
C. Leaks at furnace and filter slot
D. Kinks in flexible ductwork
restricting airflow
SOLUTIONS:
E. Properly sealed ducts
F. Registers and grills tightly sealed
to ducts
G. Sealed furnace and filter slot
H. Well-insulated ducts in
unfinished areas
I. Straightened flexible ducts with
improved airflow
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UNITED STATES
ENVIRONMENTAL
PROTECTION AGENCY
6202J
WASHINGTON DC 20460
Recycled/Recyclable—Printed with vegetable oil based inks on
recycled paper (Minimum 50% post-consumer content)
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