Case Study
MuseumHouse Luxury Condo
Project Overview
Location
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Building
19-story, 27-unit luxury condominium
Aeroseal Contractors
J.W. Danforth
Contract Engineer
Yorkville Construction
Goal
Meet air handling unit (AHU) specifications for allowable duct leakage
Before Aeroseal
Up to 300+ CFM* of leakage
After Aeroseal
6.5 CFM of leakage (average)
Results
Sealed ductwork to 90% average leakage reduction; Achieved compliance with duct sealing codes and improved HVAC performance of property
High-Performance Luxury Condos in Canada Meet Duct Sealing Codes Using Aeroseal
The iconic MuseumHouse Condo – a true gem in Toronto, Ontario, Canada – achieved duct sealing code compliance thanks to Aeroseal.
The MuseumHouse is a centerpiece of luxury living located on Toronto’s prestigious Bloor Street West. At $2 million to $12 million apiece, each condo apartment offers residents a stunning panoramic view of the city, a private elevator, a grand terrace, and sparkling glass walls. Unfortunately, it had excessively duct leakage. In order to pass its performance audit and meet HVAC air handling unit (AHU) specifications, owners of this newly constructed high rise had a choice: either tear down the interior drywalls and manually seal each of the building’s 25 individual duct systems, or use Aeroseal. The property owners decided to use Aeroseal to quickly seal the leaks and get the HVAC system working to specification. No costly renovation was needed.
Even if we were able to access the ductwork to manually seal the leaks, the design of the building itself would have made the work impossible. The space between the duct system and the surrounding structures left no room to get [duct] sealant on all sides of each joint. The unique supply grill left little space to reach the leaks typically found there as well. By sealing from inside the ductwork, Aeroseal made us heroes. It allowed us to access all the leaks while leaving the walls and all the beautiful detailing intact.
Ken Kwasniak
Service Operations Manager
- JW Danforth
David Hart, Project Manager, Yorkville Construction: “Aeroseal was the only viable option there was. Our only other alternative was to tear down the walls inside each apartment and seal the individual duct systems manually (by hand with mastic/tape). From a purely monetary standpoint, this approach saved us hundreds of thousands of dollars in renovation costs. Aeroseal works – and works very well, reducing average leakage from about 300 CFM down to around 6 CFM.”
Results
Aeroseal duct sealing works from the inside of the ductwork to seal leaks. The furniture, artwork and other valuables in the occupied apartments were first covered in plastic and filtration fans were used to catch any errant sealant particles, minimizing cleanup requirements. Then the Aeroseal duct sealant was sprayed throughout the inside of the ductwork. Average time required to seal an apartment from beginning to end – including cleanup: one day. Average results: 90% of leakage eliminated, reduced air loss from 300 CFM (cubic feet per minute) to 6.5 CFM. Armed with Aeroseal expertise, the HVAC contractors have become an increasingly popular group as word of their unique capabilities spreads.
