Developing a market-based utility duct sealing program.

In recent years, residential energy conservation research has focused attention on heating system distribution efficiency. Several field studies in the Pacific Northwest have found forced-air heating systems which have a majority of ducts located in unheated buffer spaces can lose as much as 3 0% of the equipment's heating output to duct air leakage and conduction loss. The magnitude of loss can be equivalent to the combined improvements in building shell insulation levels due to updated energy codes. Field review of forced-air heating systems often uncovers other problems with duct layout and equipment performance. Several challenges face utilities planning to undertake a large-scale duct-sealing program. Most notable of these challenges are finding suitable homes; working with field protocols which encourage consistent, successful work; and measuring the effects of the work through field quality control and impact analysis. This paper describes the response rate for duct sealing services based on one marketing approach and describes bill and field test screening criteria used to narrow the list of retrofit candidates. Results from the screening are presented, along with preliminary retrofit results and important operations and maintenance findings.