Aeroseal duct sealant
lasw15
| Posted in Green Products and Materials on
Hello. My heating and air tech recommended aeroseal to repair leaking duct-work in our walls. We are going to replace duct-work in our attic but looking to this product so we don’t have to tear out walls. Does anyone have any experience with this product? It says that is is low voc and a non-volatile vinyl acetate. I realize that sealing small holes is good for using less electricity and producing less dust which in turn produces better air quality but if aeroseal off gasses and eventually degrades overtime then am I just breathing in a different type of pollutant? This seems too good to be true, aside from the cost.
Thanks!
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Replies
Lori,
Aeroseal is rarely used on residential jobs because of its high cost. The major drawback is that it isn't cost-effective.
Here's a link to a relevant article (with comments below):
Does Aeroseal work?
Aeroseal has actually been used to seal ductwork in thousands of homes across the U.S. While it isn't cheap, the DOE says its effectiveness provides one of the largest energy saving ROI's available -- about 2-8 years (compared to Window upgrades at 70 years / wall insulation at 90 years). You'll find government research that finds Aeroseal to be up to 60% more effective at sealing leaks than traditional duct sealing - that's because it can get to all the leaks - even those in ductwork that are hidden behind walls, under insulation, in tight crawl spaces etc. As far as it being safe...if you don't trust the MSDS documents that say it is perfectly safe, consider that it has been used at the Mayo Clinic, Nemours Childrens Hospital, NYU Medical Center, and other locations where you know they did their research before OKing its use. A quick Google search will find lots of credible articles - from Consumer Reports, to EPA studies, to This Old House magazine that look at this innovation as a real breakthrough for homeowners. http://1.usa.gov/LvCQOH.
Note to GBA readers: Brad Lee, a.k.a. Brad Brenner, is the principal of Brenner Associates, the agency that has the contract to market Aeroseal.
Note to marketers who try to post ads on GBA: using a pseudonym does not absolve you of requirements for you to comply with GBA policies that restrict spam postings on our site.
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