Newspapers / Winston-Salem Chronicle (Winston-Salem, N.C.) / May 26, 1994, edition 2 / Page 7
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Recent Tests Reveal Reducing Duct Leakage Means Savings In Monthly Energy Costs 1 Every aspect of designing a central cooling and heating system ?* . for a home is important to the overall performance of the system. Conscientious heating, veutHation and air conditioning (HVAC) con tractors take care to perform all . necessary calculations to deter mine cooling and heating loads, equipment size, and air flow so that the system can he designed - for maximum efficiency. Although ductwork may , seem to he the least important aspect of the system, recent tests reveal that over 70 percent of the air leaks in a home occur in the HVAC distribution system. And since these leaks are under pres sure, they can account for an increase of up to 300 percent of house i nfiltration when the air handler in operation." " To reduce this air leakage to three percent or less, Duke Power now requires the use of a permanent sealant, like mastic, in its Maximum Value Homes pro gram. Mastic is a flexible sealant that varies in consistency from that of mashed potatoes to yogurt. gun, brush, trowel or with your gloved hand. Because it never fully hardens, mastic stretches as the duct expands and contracts allowing for year-round tempera ture changes. A good duct sealanrlTas high solids content ? at least 50 percent. In general this means less shrinkage as the material cures. Excellent adhesion is also impor tant ? the sealant should stick to metal, drywall, plastic, concrete or other materials used in home building. Good duct sealant must " "also "stick to itself,_so it resists" cracking as the surface moves. One method for testing the airtightness of forced air distribu tion systems is the Duct Blaster, a calibrated air flow measurement system. The Duct Blaster consists of a powerful variable speed fan which can be connected directly to the^^iuc^ system in a house. Duct leakage is measured by using the fan to either pressurize or depres surize the distribution system to a desired reference pressure. The equipment provides an accurate measurement of duct leakage. By using permanent sealant, the builder provides the homebuyer with an additional comfort factor, usually improving the home's indoor environment along with saving on monthly energy costs. For additional information on Duke Hower s Maximum Value Homes program, call your local Duke RowerCompany office at 727-4300. Permanent sealant , like mastic , is now required in Duke Power's MAX homes. "A While Back, If You'd Ibid Me I'd Build Homes With Heat Pumps, I'd Have Said You Were Crazy. Now Id Have To Say You Were Right." ~ 7 know what folks used to say about heat pumps. But limes have changed. Nowadays, heat pumps are all we're installing. "So what caused the big turnaround? Well, the turnaround in the heat pump. f "Today's-systems are much more comfortable. So you stay toasty warm in winter. And comfortably cool in summer. And you won't believe how much lower your energy bills can be. "4s a builder. I couldn't be more comfortable with the new heat pumps. More imfwrtant. neither can my customers. " \ DUKE POWER Ttm Smart Ctiokx lot Tim Future
Winston-Salem Chronicle (Winston-Salem, N.C.)
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May 26, 1994, edition 2
7
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