HIGH UTILITY BILLS? 
 

STUFFY ROOMS? DUSTY HOUSE? 
 

IT COULD BE YOUR DUCTS. 

A duct system that is well-designed and properly sealed can 

make your home more comfortable, energy efficient, and 

safer. Here are some reasons why duct improvements can be 

a wise investment: 

Comfort 

Sealing and insulating ducts can help with common comfort 

problems, such as rooms that are too hot in the summer or too 

cold in the winter. 

Indoor Air Quality 

Fumes from household and garden chemicals, insulation 

particles, and dust can enter your duct system, aggravating 

asthma and allergy problems. Sealing ducts can help improve 

indoor air quality by reducing the risk of pollutants entering 

ducts and circulating through your home. 

Safety 

During normal operation, gas appliances such as water 

heaters, clothes dryers, and furnaces release combustion 

gases (like carbon monoxide) through their ventilation 

systems. Leaky ductwork in your heating and cooling system 

may cause “backdrafting,” where these gases are drawn 

back into the living space, rather than expelled to the 

outdoors. Sealing leaks can minimize this risk. 

Save Money 

Leaky ducts can reduce heating and cooling system efficiency 

by as much as 20 percent. Sealing and insulating ducts 

increases efficiency, lowers your energy bills, and can often 

pay for itself in energy savings. Plus, if you’re planning to 

install new heating and cooling equipment, a well-designed 

and sealed duct system may allow you to downsize to a 

smaller, less costly heating and cooling system that will 

provide better dehumidification. 

Protect the Environment 

Energy used in our homes often comes from the burning of 

fossil fuels at power plants, which contributes to smog, acid 

rain, and global warming. Simply put, the less energy we use 

in our homes, the less air pollution we generate. By sealing 

your ducts and reducing the amount of energy necessary to 

comfortably heat or cool your home, you can reduce the 

amount of air pollution generated. 
WHAT IS 

ENERGY STAR®? 

ENERGY STAR is the government-backed program that 

helps us all to save money and protect our environment 

with energy-efficient products and practices. Whether 

you are looking to replace old appliances, remodel your 

home, or buy a new house, ENERGY STAR can help. 

More than 40 kinds of products, including lighting, 

appliances, televisions, computers, heating and 

cooling equipment, and even new homes, can earn 

the government’s ENERGY STAR label. ENERGY STAR 

also offers best practice solutions, like home sealing 

and duct sealing, that can make your home more 

comfortable and reduce your energy costs. 

For more information on duct sealing,


visit www.energystar.gov 


or call 


1-888-STAR-YES (1-888-782-7937)


KNOW YOUR DUCTS 

In houses with forced-air heating and cooling systems, ducts 

are used to distribute conditioned air throughout the house. 

In a typical house, however, about 20% of the air that moves 

through the duct system is lost due to leaks, holes, and 

poorly connected ducts. The result is higher utility bills and 

difficulty keeping the house comfortable, no matter how the 

thermostat is set. 

How do you know that your home has poorly performing 

ducts? You may have duct problems if: 

• you have high summer and winter utility bills; 

• you have rooms that are difficult to heat and cool; 

• you have stuffy rooms that never seem to feel comfortable; 

• your ducts are located in an attic, crawlspace, or 

the garage; 

• you find tangled or kinked flexible ducts in your system. 

SIMPLE STEPS TO IMPROVING 

DUCT PERFORMANCE 

Because ducts are often concealed in walls, ceiling, attics, 

and basements, repairing them can be difficult. But there 

are things that you can do to improve duct performance in 

your house. 

Start by sealing air leaks using mastic sealant or metal 

tape and insulating all the ducts that you can access (such 

as those in attics, crawlspaces, unfinished basements, and 

garages). Never use duct tape, as it is not long-lasting. 

Also, make sure that the connections at vents and 

registers are well-sealed where they meet the floors, 

walls, and ceiling. These are common locations to find 

leaks and disconnected ductwork. 
WHAT IS 

ENERGY STAR®? 

ENERGY STAR is the government-backed program that 

helps us all to save money and protect our environment 

with energy-efficient products and practices. Whether 

you are looking to replace old appliances, remodel your 

home, or buy a new house, ENERGY STAR can help. 

More than 40 kinds of products, including lighting, 

appliances, televisions, computers, heating and 

cooling equipment, and even new homes, can earn 

the government’s ENERGY STAR label. ENERGY STAR 

also offers best practice solutions, like home sealing 

and duct sealing, that can make your home more 

comfortable and reduce your energy costs. 

KNOW YOUR DUCTS 

In houses with forced-air heating and cooling systems, ducts 

are used to distribute conditioned air throughout the house. 

In a typical house, however, about 20% of the air that moves 

through the duct system is lost due to leaks, holes, and 

poorly connected ducts. The result is higher utility bills and 

difficulty keeping the house comfortable, no matter how the 

thermostat is set. 

How do you know that your home has poorly performing 

ducts? You may have duct problems if: 

• you have high summer and winter utility bills; 

• you have rooms that are difficult to heat and cool; 

• you have stuffy rooms that never seem to feel comfortable; 

• your ducts are located in an attic, crawlspace, or 

the garage; 

• you find tangled or kinked flexible ducts in your system. 

SIMPLE STEPS TO IMPROVING 

DUCT PERFORMANCE 

Because ducts are often concealed in walls, ceiling, attics, 

and basements, repairing them can be difficult. But there 

are things that you can do to improve duct performance in 

your house. 

Start by sealing air leaks using mastic sealant or metal 

tape and insulating all the ducts that you can access (such 

as those in attics, crawlspaces, unfinished basements, and 

garages). Never use duct tape, as it is not long-lasting. 

Also, make sure that the connections at vents and 

registers are well-sealed where they meet the floors, 

walls, and ceiling. These are common locations to find 

leaks and disconnected ductwork. 

For more information on duct sealing,


visit www.energystar.gov 


or call 


1-888-STAR-YES (1-888-782-7937)