CASE STUDY

Meeting Code In A New Construction Home

TYPE: Builder

New Home Builder Turns To Aeroseal To Pass Building Code And Finish The Job On Schedule
City inspectors amazed by the amount of leakage remaining after manual sealing; and the ease and effectiveness of using latest breakthrough In duct sealing technology

It was near end of day when duct sealing specialist Dan Rollie received a call from a building contractor looking for assistance. Before the General Contractor could get sign off on a new house he was building, he had to show that the leakage rates of newly installed ductwork did not exceed 70 CFM. With the home nearing completion, newly hung drywall and other obstructions made accessing and sealing the duct system impossible without demolishing much of the work that was just completed.

When Dan pulled up in his Aeroseal of Rochester utility truck, the general contractor and the city inspectors were waiting. Neither the General Contractor or the inspectors had ever witnessed the aerosol sealing process before and they wanted to see this innovative procedure for themselves.

Project Overview
Building New home construction
Location Mankato, Minnesota
Aeroseal Contractors Aeroseal of Rochester
Goal Meet building code for duct tightness
Before Aeroseal 537.8 CFM: 26% system leakage
After Aeroseal 24.2 CFM: 1.2% system leakage
Results In less than 4 hours and without demolition, Aeroseal of Rochester was able to seal the duct system and exceed code requirements.

When you factor in the true cost of manually sealing and testing, Aeroseal in newly constructed homes is the way to go. Not only can it lower costs, but it is faster and more effective than traditional sealing methods. It can be applied any time after the ducts have been installed so it provides unparalleled scheduling flexibility. And since it monitors the sealing process as its working, you know the results right away. No need to call in a third-party to retest – the system generates a final report with the before and after results.

Dan Rollie
Sealing Specialist
Aeroseal of Rochester

It took Rollie about an hour to set up the sealing equipment and prepare the ductwork. Aeroseal measured the duct leakage and the inspectors were surprised to see that, despite manual sealing, the 500+ CFM leakage meant that the home wasn’t even close to meeting code. Rollie explained that while the city requires sealing around duct connections, he’s found that there is typically excessive leakage throughout the ductwork, even where sealing is required.

RESULTS

Once set up was completed, it took Rollie about a half-hour to seal the house. Since Aeroseal works from inside the ducts, no demolition was required to find or seal the leaks. The inspectors watched the equipment monitor to see the leakage rate plummet to less than 25 CFM – well below code requirements. The inspectors quickly signed off on the project and the home was completed on schedule.

To Learn More About Improving The Comfort, Indoor Air Quality, and Energy Efficiency Of Your Building
CALL: 937-428-9300 or EMAIL: info@aeroseal.com