Aerosol Sealing in New Construction
Team members: UC Davis: Western Cooling Efficiency Center—Davis, CA; Building Knowledge Inc.—Minneapolis, MN; UMN: Cold Climate Housing Program—St. Paul, MN
Industry Partner: Aeroseal LLC—Centerville, OH
The aerosol envelope-sealing technology developed by the Western Cooling Efficiency Center at the University of California, Davis, uses an automated method to satisfy the envelope-sealing requirement. The process involves pressurizing the building for an hour or two while applying an aerosol sealant “fog” to the building interior. As air escapes the building through leaks in the envelope, the sealant particles are carried to the leaks where they impact and stick to the edge of the gap and gradually fill in the opening, sealing the leaks. A standard blower door is used to facilitate the sealing process and provide real-time feedback and a permanent record of the sealing. The technology is thus capable of simultaneously measuring, locating, and sealing leaks in a building remotely.
The project will evaluate several sealing approaches with multiple builders to establish procedures that builders can use to easily integrate the aerosol sealing technique into standard construction practices and reduce the cost of less-effective conventional sealing. This will produce more consistent sealing performance and improved air tightness in an economic manner.
For more information, visit the 2017 Peer Review information on the Aerosol Sealing in New Construction project.