โ„๏ธ HVAC ยท Calculator #044

What Should You Charge to Seal a Leaky Duct System?

Home size, estimated leakage rate, and sealing method โ€” get a cost estimate and the energy savings payback that helps you sell the job.

How to use this calculator

  1. Enter Home size (sq ft)
  2. Enter Estimated duct leakage (%)
  3. Enter Sealing method
  4. Fill remaining fields
  5. See Estimated project cost update instantly
Duct Sealing Job Specs
sq ft
%
Average US home leaks 20โ€“30% of conditioned air. Use blower door test if available; estimate otherwise.
Aeroseal seals inaccessible ducts but has higher equipment cost.
Used to calculate payback period โ€” helps sell the job.
%
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Estimated project cost
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Est. annual savings
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Payback period
Enter home size, leakage %, and labor rate to see cost and savings.
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Duct Sealing Pricing: Turning Energy Savings into a Sales Tool

Duct sealing is one of the most undersold HVAC services. The average US home loses 20โ€“30% of conditioned air through leaky ducts โ€” that's $300โ€“$600 per year in wasted energy for a typical household. The contractor who can quote the job and show the payback in writing wins more than the one who just says "you should probably get those ducts sealed."

Manual Sealing vs. Aeroseal

Manual mastic sealing works well when ducts are accessible โ€” open attic, unfinished basement, crawlspace. The material (mastic paste, foil tape) is cheap; the labor is the cost. Aeroseal is a pressurized sealant injection system that seals from the inside out, reaching joints and gaps that are physically inaccessible. The Aeroseal process costs more (the machine, the licensed process) but can seal systems manual sealing can't touch. Charge appropriately โ€” Aeroseal jobs typically run $1,200โ€“$2,500 for a residential system, and the payback is usually 3โ€“5 years.

The Payback Conversation

A homeowner paying $1,800/year in HVAC energy costs who's losing 25% to duct leakage is wasting $450/year. A $1,200 seal job pays back in under 3 years. Show them this math โ€” write it on the quote. It reframes the objection from "that's expensive" to "that's an investment with a 3-year return." Most competitors don't bring this to the table.

Test Before and After

If you have a duct blower or can rent one, test CFM25 leakage before and after. Document the improvement percentage. This creates a before/after proof of value that's worth as much as the job itself for your referral and review pipeline. Customers who can see the difference become your best referral sources.

The full system

HVAC Business Starter Kit

Service agreement templates, duct inspection checklists, maintenance pricing worksheets, and the business forms to run a profitable HVAC operation.

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80+ pages ยท 6 templates ยท pricing worksheets
  • Service agreement + maintenance contract
  • Duct inspection and assessment checklist
  • Flat rate pricing form by job type
  • Change order and scope-creep protection
  • Customer follow-up email templates
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About This Calculator

Duct sealing pricing should reflect the method (mastic, foil tape, or Aeroseal), the number of leaks and their accessibility, and the time required for testing before and after. This calculator prices the complete duct sealing job based on system size and method so you can quote the work profitably and show customers the return on investment.