We all start the year with resolutions or goals. Some of these goals may be carried over from the prior year. Some are new. “I am going to save money.” “I am going to lose weight.” “I am going to eat broccoli whether I enjoy it or not.” Or your stretch goal is “I am going to lose as much money to dumb stuff as possible!”
You might be thinking my proposed stretch goal is a bit of a stretch. Well, if you have not taken the time to evaluate your heating and cooling ducts, you are achieving this goal whether you declare it or not.
EPA states that 20-30% of all conditioned air is lost to leaks in the ducting system. Math is hard, so let us make it simple. Let us say you have a hundred dollars in your wallet; if you take one twenty dollar bill out and burn it for warmth, it would be better used than blasting conditioned air into your attic or crawl space. If you think that if you checked your ducts last year you should be fine, rats I say. You need to check again. Rats, squirrels and mice all find your ducts highly chewable, and the material makes magnificent nests. If you have had a water event, it could have compromised your ducts. Tape gets old. You do not know what you do not know. (And we have not even gotten to the seals and caulking around windows and doors yet.)
When you look at your P&L you will sadly note that utilities are always a top three expense category. Before you object that you use RUBS (ratio utility billing system), note that even with a billback program, utilities are a top five or top seven expense category. This is because the common area energy cannot be included in the billback and in podium style construction is the lion’s share of the expense. So those twenties you would be saving by maintaining your ducts are not in the billback and would be better used improving the capital position for your asset.
I propose to you the most achievable resolution you could treat yourself to this year: “This year my team and I will make the time to evaluate our ducts, once in the winter and once in the summer.” This goal is easy and does not require you to eat a vegetable that has the texture of cartilage.
