WHY AIR SEALING MATTERS

To understand air sealing benefits, it helps to understand what an air barrier is.

An air barrier is a system for controlling the air flow between conditioned and unconditioned spaces. This air barrier system is the primary air enclosure boundary that separates indoor (conditioned) air from outdoor (unconditioned) air.

In a multi-unit building (office, townhouse or apartment) the air barrier system also mitigates the air and noise sharing between adjacent units.

Keeps conditioned air in conditioned spaces

Prevents air leaks through cracks
Stops interior moist air from entering wall cavities

BENEFITS OF AN AIR BARRIER

COST SAVINGS

Reduce both the initial cost and the ongoing utilities of the HVAC system

DURABILITY

Protect the structural integrity of the building by preventing air & moisture transfer

COMFORT

Achieve a more consistent temperature throughout the house or unit

10X

ROI

The State of Utah published a study, explaining that:

Every $1.00 spent on energy engineering pays off with a minimum of $10.00 in cost & operational savings.

AIR TIGHT WITHOUT SPRAY FOAM

› No need to rely on spray foam as an interior air barrier

› Achieve air tightness in hours rather than days/weeks

SHRINK YOUR HVAC SYSTEMS

› Tighter buildings have smaller HVAC systems

› Reduced wear & tear because of the reduced HVAC load

› Avoid over-sizing your mechanical systems

ROI STUDY:

29-UNIT APARTMENT BUILDING

To discover the ROI from installing AeroBarrier, one customer built a robust energy model of their project.* Below are some of the findings from that model.

BY THE NUMBERS

12.2X

Utility cost savings yielded a 12.2X ROI over the next 30 years

25.7%

Installing AeroBarrier resulted in a 25.7% reduction in Annual Energy Usage.

116,000

Reducing the air leakage saved 116,000 kWh of electricity every single year

MAXIMIZING ENERGY REBATES

The energy model looked closely at the effect of AeroBarrier on the overall energy consumption of the building. Below we break out the numbers related to AeroBarrier, which was only one component of the overall energy model.

Energy Model Energy Usage Energy Savings Installation Cost Rebates
Code-built 450,000 kWh 0 kWh $0 $0
Code-built with AeroBarrier 334,000 kWh 116,000 kWh $31,500 $29,000
Energy Model Energy Usage Energy Savings Installation Cost Rebates
Code-built 450,000 kWh 0 kWh $0 $0
Code-built with AeroBarrier 334,000 kWh 116,000 kWh $31,500 $29,000

Rebates Cover Most of the Cost

Code-built + AeroBarrier = High Performance Without a High Price

CARBON SAVINGS

EVERY YEAR, 71 TONS OF AIR-BOURNE CARBON ARE SAVED, THE EQUIVALENT OF 18 FORD F-150 TRUCKS

*Energy modeling performed by the Wasatch Group. For inquiries about energy modeling contact us and we will get you a quote.

BUILDING DURABILITY

Plugging air leaks is about more than just escaping air—it also means escaping moisture. Air barriers prevent the interior, moisture-laden air from entering the wall cavity where it can damage materials and promote mold growth.

AIR LEAKAGE ALLOWS 100X MORE MOISTURE TRANSFER

In most Utah buildings, drywall is the primary interior air barrier. The Building Science Corporation studied how much moisture passes through a drywall barrier during a typical year.

The control included a full sheet of drywall, and that was compared with a full sheet that had a 1″ hole cut out of it. That one, tiny hole allowed 100X the moisture to pass through it, adding up to 7.5 gallons of water.

Moisture Problems Related to Air Leakage

As moisture-laden air leaks out of your building, it often deposits moisture in the wall cavity, causing all sorts of unseen problems. From mold growth to wall failure, the effects of moisture deposits over time are devastating.

Warped & Swollen Wood
Mold in the Wall Cavity
Loss of Structural Integrity