I recently had some complaints with the performance of the furnace.
It was suddenly running for much longer cycles and struggling to keep the home comfortable. Certain rooms were way colder than others. Although I turned up the thermostat several times, the furnace simply couldn’t manage the demand. There seemed to be more dust floating around than usual and a steady increase in my monthly heating bills. When I scheduled repair with an HVAC professional, he told me that all of the problems were the result of small holes in the ductwork. He tested the duct system and determined that 30% of the heated air was leaking out. Outside air was getting pulled into the system, bringing in dust and other contaminants. I was a little worried that the duct sealing process would require tearing into walls. I wasn’t eager to face a big mess, expense or renovation project. The HVAC contractor explained that a fairly new process called Aeroseal allows repairs of the ducts from the inside. He started by blocking off all of the supply and return registers. He then pumped pressurized air laced with adhesive polymer particles into the duct system. As the air leaked out of the various holes and flaws, the sticky particles attached to the edges and gradually built up to create an airtight seal. The polymer particles are also used in the manufacturing of pacifiers and are completely non toxic and safe. There was no unpleasant odor, residue or mess left behind. The whole process was completed within a couple of hours. The HVAC technician once again tested the ducts to verify successful results. As soon as I started up the furnace, I noticed a significant improvement.