Does AeroBarrier alone earn R406 energy credits?

No. AeroBarrier reliably hits the air-leakage targets in R406.3 Category 2, but every option in that category also requires a qualifying heat recovery ventilator (HRV) at 65%, 75%, or 80% sensible recovery efficiency. Without the HRV you cannot claim the credit, regardless of how tight your blower door result is.

🌫️AeroBarrier

AeroBarrier — Fluid-Applied Air Sealing for Washington Builders

Q: How much does AeroBarrier cost in Washington State?

For Washington new construction at dry-in stage, expect $1.00 to $1.50 per square foot of conditioned floor area, or roughly $2,000 to $3,000 installed for a 2,000 sq ft single-family home. Post-drywall applications run $1.50 to $2.50 per square foot. Furnished or occupied homes can run $3.00 to $4.25+ per square foot due to additional prep.

Q: Who does AeroBarrier installations in Washington State?

Three operations service the Washington market as of April 2026: Western AeroBarrier (Pacific Northwest dealer), Smart PNW (Pacific Northwest installer), and United Seattle (Aeroseal Seattle). Verify current pricing and service area directly with each installer.

Q: When in the build should AeroBarrier be applied?

The most cost-effective time is at dry-in — after framing, sheathing, windows, doors, and rough-in mechanical work, but before insulation and drywall. Post-drywall applications work too but cost more in prep. Existing or finished homes are possible but expensive due to extensive masking requirements.

Quick answer: AeroBarrier is a sprayed aerosol air sealant from Aeroseal that uses a pressurized blower door to drive a water-based acrylic sealant into every gap in a house's air barrier, typically dropping leakage from 3+ ACH50 to under 1 ACH50 in a single 4–6 hour application. In Washington, expect $1.00–$1.50 per square foot of conditioned floor area for new construction at dry-in (~$2,000–$3,000 for a 2,000 sq ft home). Active WA installers include Western AeroBarrier, Smart PNW, and United Seattle Aeroseal. AeroBarrier alone does not earn R406 credits — you also need a qualifying HRV— but it reliably puts the air-leakage half of R406.3 Category 2 in reach.

AeroBarrier is a sealing technology from Aeroseal that uses an aerosolized water-based acrylic sealant, sprayed inside a pressurized house, to find and seal every crack and gap in the building envelope. The blower door does the work of transporting the sealant particles to the leak points — wherever air is escaping, the sealant goes there and bridges the gap. The result is a verified, dialed-in air leakage rate measured in real time during application.

For Washington builders chasing tight R406.3 Category 2 credit thresholds, AeroBarrier is one of the few tools that reliably hits the 1.5 ACH50 and 0.6 ACH50 targets in conventional wood-frame construction.

How does the AeroBarrier process work?

The AeroBarrier process at a high level:

Manual prep — The installer covers any opening you do not want sealed (windows, doors, HVAC registers, exhaust vents, exposed finished surfaces).
Pressurize the house — Using a blower door, the building is pressurized to drive air outward through every gap.
Spray the sealant — Atomized sealant emitters fill the interior with a fine fog. As air escapes through gaps, the particles deposit on the leak edges and bridge the gap.
Real-time monitoring — A computer-controlled blower door reports ACH50 every 60–90 seconds as the seal builds. The installer dials in the desired tightness target.
Cure and clean — Sealant cures in 30 minutes. Crew can re-enter the space after a brief ventilation period.

For most single-family homes the actual sealing time is 4–6 hours. Total job time including prep and breakdown is typically 1–2 days.

When in the build should AeroBarrier be applied?

AeroBarrier can be applied at multiple stages:

Dry-in (best for cost and effectiveness) — After framing, sheathing, windows/doors, and rough mechanical/electrical/plumbing, but before insulation and drywall. Lowest prep cost; sealant can reach interior wall cavities.
Post-drywall, pre-finish — Common for builders who want to verify their air sealing before committing to final finishes. Costs more in prep but still effective.
Existing or finished homes — Possible but expensive. Furnishings and finishes need extensive masking.

For a new construction project pursuing tight R406 credits, schedule AeroBarrier between rough-in and insulation. This is also the stage at which Matt Risinger demonstrates the process in his widely-shared video walkthrough — search "Matt Risinger AeroBarrier"for a real-time look at a job site application.

How much does AeroBarrier cost in Washington State?

Pricing varies by installer, project size, and target tightness, but Washington-specific data points published by installers and builders:

Project type	Typical WA pricing
New construction, dry-in stage	$1.00 – $1.50 per square foot of conditioned floor area
New construction, post-drywall	$1.50 – $2.50 per square foot
Existing home, occupied	$3.00 – $4.25+ per square foot (significant prep)
Industry range published by installers	$0.80 – $3.00 per square foot

For a typical 2,000 sq ft Washington single-family home at dry-in, expect roughly $2,000 – $3,000 installed. Final pricing is locked in by the installer after they review your plans.

Who does AeroBarrier installations in Washington State?

Three operations service the Washington market that we are aware of as of April 2026:

Western AeroBarrier — Pacific Northwest dealer covering Washington, Oregon, and Idaho. Quote request form at westernaerobarrier.com.
Smart PNW — Pacific Northwest installer; project pages at smartpnw.com/aerobarrier.
United Seattle (Aeroseal Seattle) — Seattle-area installer. Site at unitedseattle.com.

We do not have a partnership with any of these installers and do not earn a commission. We list them here because builders ask. Always verify current pricing and service area directly with the installer.

Does AeroBarrier earn R406 energy credits?

The credit value depends on what ACH50 you actually achieve and whether you also have a qualifying HRV. From the Failed Blower Door Rescue page:

Option	Tested Air Leakage	Required HRV Sensible Recovery	Credits Earned
2.1	≤ 2.0 ACH50	≥ 65%	1.0
2.2	≤ 1.5 ACH50	≥ 75%	1.5
2.3	≤ 0.6 ACH50	≥ 80%	2.0

AeroBarrier alone does not earn any credit — you also need the HRV. But AeroBarrier reliably puts the air-leakage half of the equation in reach, even on a crew that does not normally hit those numbers.

Is AeroBarrier worth the cost?

The honest answer: not always. A conscientious crew that air-seals as they build can hit 2.0 ACH50 with caulk, foam, and ZIP tape for a few hundred dollars in materials. AeroBarrier shines in two scenarios:

You need the 1.5 or 0.6 ACH50 credit and your crew has not hit it before. AeroBarrier is cheaper than the rework you would do if you fail the test late.
You failed your blower door test. As a rescue, AeroBarrier is dramatically cheaper than tearing out drywall to access framing.

If you are planning a new build, run the math both ways — AeroBarrier-plus-HRV credit savings versus the prescriptive cost of getting to the same total credits another way. Our wizard does this comparison automatically.

Run your credit comparison

Start compliance check →