All of the components in your air conditioning system have to work together to heat and cool your home. But your air ducts have a very important job of carrying air from inside your HVAC system to the areas of your home that you want to heat and cool. In fact, your ductwork is arguably one of the most important components.
You want to take care of your air ducts, but how do you know when it’s time for AC duct replacement? There are four signs in particular that help you know the time has come. Our team handles AC duct replacement in Ponte Vedra Beach and we can provide a free assessment of your home. We can outline your options for either a repair or replacement and help you make the right decision for your home and family.
1. Unusual HVAC Sounds
Sure, your AC system makes sounds when it operates. However, the sounds usually fade into the background as white noise. They shouldn’t be so loud that they are obnoxious or annoying. Rattling sounds are particularly concerning when it comes to your ductwork. This could mean that your ductwork is vibrating which can dislocate the joints where they connect.
If you hear whistling, it can indicate that your duct joints have already broken. The whistling you hear is air as it escapes through tiny holes in the joints of your ductwork. These holes are a problem because conditioned air is escaping before it reaches the rooms of your home. It also forces your AC to work harder which can increase your energy bills and cause wear and tear to the system.
2. Increasing Energy Bills
It’s completely normal for a little bit of air to escape as it travels through your air ducts. However, there is such a thing as too much air escaping. Once it reaches the threshold of around 20% of conditioned air escaping, you’ll begin to notice an increase in your energy bills.
If your energy bills are going up, your ductwork is likely to blame. You may find yourself changing the temperature on your home thermostat in an effort to get your home warmer or cooler. Your HVAC system is essentially having to use more energy to provide the same results.
3. Hot or Cold Spots
Your HVAC system should distribute heated and cooled air evenly. All of your rooms should be a similar temperature. If you have one room that is significantly warmer or cooler than other rooms, that’s a problem. It can mean that part of your ductwork is not carrying air into your home as it should.
You can verify this problem by using an indoor thermometer. Check the temperatures in different rooms and note what they are. If one temperature is significantly higher or lower, get your ductwork inspected right away. It may be as easy as making a repair, but it could mean that our team needs to replace all or some of your ductwork.
4. Excessive Dust
It’s normal to dust occasionally, but if you can’t seem to keep surfaces around your home dust free, your ducts may be to blame. Sure, air can escape, but dust and dirt can also get into your ducts through the same holes.
Then the dust and dirt blow back into your home as conditioned air transfers through your ductwork. This is a problem because dust and dirt can make ductwork holes even worse in addition to having a negative impact on your home’s air quality.
Serving St. Johns County since 1988 with quality, hometown service. Schedule an appointment today for ductwork services.
