VA Hospital Meets Codes with Aeroseal Duct Sealing
Just months after opening the doors to its new Veterans House, the VA medical center of Indianapolis, Indiana discovered that the building’s Energy Recovery Ventilation (ERV) system wasn’t working properly. The diagnosis: intake and exhaust ductwork running throughout the building and through the ERV were full of leaks, making it impossible to balance and adjust airflow. Strict government standards require a leakage rate of 10% or less. Pretesting showed a leakage rate that exceeded 45% in some areas. Faced with this reality, VA administrators were contemplating a massive setback – the prospect of having to empty out the facility, close its doors and begin tearing down walls and ceilings in order to access the ductwork and manually seal the leaks. Lucky for all involved, the project’s construction company did a little Internet research and came across an alternative solution…Aeroseal.
Project Overview
- Property Owners: Veterans Administration
- Engineers: RL Turner Corporation; Indiana
- Aeroseal Experts: Reupert Heating & Air
- Type: 3-story temporary housing facility
- Goal: Meet ERV specifications
- Before Aeroseal: 900+ CFM* of total leakage
- After Aeroseal: 63 CFM of total leakage
- Results: Reduced average leakage by 93%
It took Reupert Heating & Air just three days to seal the building’s ductwork – the alternative option would have taken a year or more to complete and hundreds of thousands of dollars more in added demolition and construction costs to accomplish. Aeroseal works from the inside of the duct system to locate and seal leaks, so finding and sealing all of the various holes and gaps throughout the entire duct system could be accomplished without disturbing any of the newly finished construction. The aeroseal technology is safe and highly effective. The work was done over Memorial Day weekend and the building was open for veterans and their families the following day.
Aeroseal was first brought in to seal the exhaust ducts that ran from the bathroom grilles to the ERV. After VA administrators saw how effective and unobtrusive the sealing process was, the scope of the sealing project was expanded to include all four airflow systems.
Testimonials
“Aeroseal proved to be the right solution for the problem. I’ve been in this business for quite a long time and I’ve seen quicky solutions come and go, but this one actually held water…or I should say ‘air’ as the case may be.”
Timothy Flynn
General Engineer
Roudebush VA Medical Center
“I did my research and found that short of tearing down and starting over, there was only one option – Aeroseal. For retrofits and new construction projects like this, it is the ideal solution. The technology prevented a much more expensive and invasive procedure.”
David Petty
RL Turner Corporation
“The before and after reports showed us the results. The VA’s independent contractors then came in and confirmed what we already knew – Aeroseal did the job. And while we were simply looking to reduce leakage and fulfill specification requirements, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to add up the difference Aeroseal made in system performance and know that it also provided a significant savings for somebody’s checkbook.”
Joe Reupert
Reupert Heating & Air
We Can Help You Too.
To learn more about improving the heating/cooling comfort, indoor air quality (IAQ), and energy efficiency of your home or building, email us a message to info@aeroseal.com or give us a call 937-428-9300.