Do you have money blowing out of your ductwork? If your ductwork isn't properly sealed heat could not be getting to the intended location in your house leaving you cold and turning up the heat.
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A professional energy audit is helpful, but expensive. Our multi-part series on how to perform your own energy audit will save you money on the audit and on your monthly energy bills.
Heat generated from your furnace or bolier must travel through the ductwork through your house and to various rooms in your house. If air is escaping in the ductwork in your basement it will never reach the intended destination of say, your bedroom. Overtime the adhesive tape that seals the joints of the ductwork becomes less effective as it dries out or is pulled away.
How to identify leaky ductwork: While the furnace or AC is on shine a flashlight on the ducts - especially where they connect to the registers. Where you see dust on the ducts that has been blown away, that's a sign of a leak.
How to correct a leak: Use HVAC tape to seal or re-seal joints between sections. Patch any small holes or misalignment's with a water based mastic sealant and mesh tape.
By reducing the air leakage by 15% you can save 3 to 10% of your heating bill. That, plus the savings with IDT Energy you can really save some money on your annual energy expenses.
Check out the other posts in our DIY Energy Audit seris: Drafty Window, Fireplace Energy Sucker, and Cold Water Heater for more helpful tips. Plus go to the IDT Energy Facebook page for energy saving tips and tricks.
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