Auburn University Study Shows A 35% Savings In Propane Useage
Since early in 2004 when Ag-Tite ag sealants were first developed, there have been many tests performed which show the many benefits of using sealants to not only save energy, but also cut costs in many other ways. Several scientific tests have been conducted using the Ag-Tite ag sealants with both Auburn University and the University of Georgia. The results were conclusive. Poultry retrofits using Ag-tite ag sealants will save time and money.
The data shows significant and immediate energy saving results. In most cases, an application of sealants shows energy savings in the area of 25% - 40%, but that there are also many other benefits that come with having an airtight, moisture reduced building.
In the case of the Auburn study, a return on investment of perhaps 2+ years is now a very real possibility, especially with propane cost near or at the $2.00/gal range. As important as those returns are, this particular study also showed exceptional darkling beetle control because of the program which was put into place by Ivesco. It is very important for the farmer to remember that once the houses are sealed up, then it will be even more important than ever to have a good farm management program, which includes the control of darkling beetles and rodents.
If you have any questions about the performance of these tests, please contact the Ag-Tite office at 1-866-877-3626 and we will be more than glad to discuss with you how you can achieve a similar performance.
This photo shows the 12 house poultry farm which was used for this test. Six of the houses were selected receive Ag-Tite ag sealant and the other six houses were not energy retrofitted. All of the houses were the same age, about 20 years old and each house had a separate gas meter with a very good track record of previous useage.
Photo #2
In this photo, you can see the condition of the walls prior to the Ag-Tite ag sealant being applied. Each house was built with 2"x4" boards which were very warped and had very large gaps between the boards. Only the south side of each house still had a curtain opening, and that was 3' wide. The static pressure of each house had a range of .10 - .12
Photo #3
Ag-Tite ag sealant is applied over the entire wall. The objective was to a make sure that the individual joints were sealed and that the boards had a thin coat covering. In most cases, there was an average of between 1/4" and 1/2" of coverage.
Photo #4
This photo shows that the Ag-Tite ag sealant can adhere to any material, including lumber, metal, concrete or other plastics. Because of the density of the product, a thin coat is all that is necessary to get the energy savings that you are looking for. More importantly, with a smooth hard surface which how is Ag-Tite sealants cure, there is much less of a chance that darkling beetles will find a way to harbor into the material. In fact, after many years of Ag-Tite on the walls of this project, there has been very little darkling beetle damage, even though Ag-tite was sprayed down to the litter line.
Photo #5
You are looking a finished wall, after a coat of Ag-Tite ag sealant has been applied. The surface is hard and very smooth. All of the loose joints and cracks have been filled and the wall is also now much more stable because it is one solid piece. In the case of these particular houses, static pressure doubled and went to a range of .20 - .24. Energy savings are tracking at 30%-35%. Live production numbers have improved and the houses now have much better moisture control and ventilation. The darling beetles are under control because of the Ivesco program which was put into place. Overall, there has been significant savings to the farmer who in this case wants to keep his houses in production for another 15 - 20 years.
The cost of this particular Ag-Tite application was about $6,000 per house, but each application is different because every farm is different. Ag-Tite projects can range anywhere from $1,000 a house all the way up to $10,000+ per house, depending upon what the farmer wants to work on. In many cases, we can work with farmers on an on-going program which can tighten up their houses over time ( 1 - 2 years ). This can also help them fit this type of work into their budget.
