Comfenergy Case Studies: Heat Loss from Air Duct in Warrenton, VA

Wednesday, May 8th, 2019 by Justin Dobson

Challenge

This customer in Warrenton, VA was complaining of high utility bills. Their home was only 5 years old so it HAD TO BE energy efficient, right? After a thorough home comfort and energy evaluation by Comfenergy, we found a tremendous amount of air leakage. The blower door test found a HUGE air gap around the return duct that travels from the basement to the attic.

Solution

Here are pictures of the air gap around the return duct that travels from the basement to the attic. Check out the air that is allowed to travel from the basement, through this chase, into the attic, and out of the house. In other words... allowing heated and cooled air that they have paid for to travel from inside the house to outside the house. We might want to seal this up! Comfenergy used foam boards and foam spray to seal the area. We also air sealed the entire attic of all other leakages and added another 10" of cellulose TruSoft insulation over top of it!

Project Summary

Evaluator: Justin Dobson

Check out this picture taken in the attic. Look at the gap around the return duct. This duct goes from the attic to the basement.

Just another view of the gap around this return duct allowing basement air (from inside the home) to travel up and out the attic (outside the home).

Look! You can actually see the light from the basement if you look down this cavity from the attic. This is equivalent to opening a window in the house and leaving it open all year long!!

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Comfenergy Case Studies: Heat Loss from Air Duct in Warrenton, VA

Challenge

Solution

Project Summary

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