Living in Elgin, Illinois, the weather is a year round difficulty. Winters are especially long, snowy and windy with temperatures steadily below freezing and often below zero. Summers are brutally hot and humid with temperatures regularly soaring into the eighties. The furnace trades off with the air conditioner, and the utility costs add up quickly. Last winter, the heating system seemed to run non stop and yet the house felt chilly. Specific rooms were especially cold and turning up the thermostat didn’t help much. Initially, I worried there was a problem with the heating unit. The furnace is only a couple of years old, and I’ve been conscientious about replacing the filters and scheduling maintenance. When I called the HVAC contractor in Elgin who installed the furnace for repairs, he tested the ductwork. He discovered that separations at the seams and tiny holes were allowing nearly thirty percent of the heated air to leak out. Because the maximum amount of air wasn’t reaching the intended destination, it was forcing the furnace to run longer, work harder and consume more energy. I am sure the cool air from the air conditioner was escaping throughout the previous summer as well. With the ductwork concealed inside the walls, I had no idea how the problem could be fixed. The technician explained a process called Aeroseal, where pressurized air is sent into the ductwork. The vents are blocked off, which results in the air seeping out through the imperfections. The air is laced with adhesive polymer particles that stick to the edges and gradually create an airtight seal. The Aeroseal process is non-invasive, quick and effective. It took several hours and is guaranteed for ten years.