Say goodbye to leaky ductwork

Camberia Swearngin lives in a vintage three-bedroom, two-bath double-wide manufactured home in Springdale, north of Spokane. Her idyllic setting comes with cold winters and hot summers.

"My electricity bill can be shocking," said Camberia, who moved into the home in 2008. "I'm paying a lot for heating."

Her older duct system allowed air to leak through holes and cracks, consuming more energy than necessary. After seeing a social media post about a free duct sealing program from Avista, Camberia scheduled an appointment to have it done. 

"I knew the service would be great for me and my home," said Camberia. "The best part is that it was free. I've recommended it to several people."

Together, Avista and family-owned and operated KW Energy, LLC of Chewelah, are offering a pilot program to address air duct leaks like Camberia’s. The program is free for Avista customers who live in manufactured or mobile homes heated by electricity in Stevens, Ferry and Pend Oreille counties.

"The goal is to improve existing ductwork in these homes, so air doesn’t leak out before making it to the spaces that need to be heated or cooled," said Avista Energy Efficiency Program Manager Ana Matthews. "When people invest in heating or cooling their homes, preventing air leaks is critical. Otherwise, air loss sinks the investment by causing heating and cooling equipment to run more often, driving energy usage and costs up.”

The program utilizes advanced Aeroseal technology, which targets and seals invisible leaks – even those hidden behind walls. It’s quick, noninvasive, and only takes a few hours to complete. 

"The main ingredient in Aeroseal is in chewing gum," said Kirby Weythman, owner of KW Energy. "It's very safe to use."

"On average, about 25% to 40% of the air that moves through a duct system is lost due to leaks and holes," said Kirby.

After receiving the Aeroseal service, Camberia's home reflected an 81% reduction in leakage. 

"I estimate a 30% reduction in energy usage by the Aeroseal customers," said Kirby. “That's because the heat gets to where it's supposed to go."

Although using less energy is good for everyone, access to innovative energy-saving technologies can be challenging for customers in outlying areas. It’s why Avista’s Named Community Investment Fund is supporting the year-long pilot program.

"It is important to us to ensure that our customers residing in rural areas have access to such a valuable service," said Ana.

If you or someone you know could benefit from this free energy-saving home upgrade, call Kirby’s KW Energy team at (509) 506-2962 to sign up.

Avista's Named Communities Investment Fund (NCIF) was approved by the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission, as part of the company's Clean Energy Investment Plan (CEIP) to meet compliance targets for the state's Clean Energy Transformation Act (CETA, 2019). The NCIF will invest up to $5 million annually in projects, programs, and initiatives that benefit Avista's Washington electric customers residing in historically disadvantaged and vulnerable communities (i.e., "Named Communities"). Community-based projects will be selected for funding through a competitive grant application process. Application information and eligibility guidelines can be found at myavista.com/NCIF.