Homeowners often don’t realize how much their ductwork plays a role in not only their comfort but also the cleanliness of their indoor air. So when that ductwork is dirty or damaged, it can impact your home in significant ways. Damaged ductwork allows air leaks into unoccupied spaces like your attic or crawlspace. Dirty ducts invite common allergens as well as mold spores and bacteria into your indoor air.
But how do you know when your ductwork is trouble?
With professional duct testing. Duct testing allows our technicians to unobtrusively inspect your ductwork and see where you may have problem areas. But how do you know you need professional duct testing in the first place? Read on as we uncover some signs that this may be the case!
Your Monthly Energy Bills Are Too High
We get it—“too high” seems subjective. But what we want you to look at is how much you’re paying to heat or cool your home in comparison to what you paid last year. You might even do a cost comparison to a neighbor. If your energy bills are drastically higher, it means your home is performing inefficiently, and damaged ductwork can certainly be to blame.
Rooms Feel Stuffy, Uncomfortable, or Are Affecting Your Allergies
Leaky ductwork doesn’t just let conditioned air escape. It also draws in undesirable particles, too. Attics and crawlspace areas collect dirt and dust, however they don’t get cleaned as often as they should. If leaky ducts create an imbalance of air, it can pull in that dust and dirt through the ventilation system and disperse these allergens into your home.
You Notice Uneven Heating or Cooling
If your home has hotspots during the summer and cold spots during the winter, then leaking ductwork may be to blame! A properly functioning HVAC system will use your ductwork to distribute heated or cooled air throughout your home equally.
However, if you have duct leaks then the rooms at the farthest end of the ventilation system won’t receive all the conditioned air that they should.
Your Ducts Are in the Attic
During any time of the year in this part of Florida, but especially summer, the temperature of your roof can exceed the temperature outside by 30°F or more! This means that the attic gets hot. As a result, your ductwork can start to suffer, developing pinhole leaks and warping. As a result, you can not only experience airflow and comfort issues, but the particles we mentioned earlier, like allergens and mold spores, can get sucked in and then distributed through your home.
Household Members Are Suffering from Allergies or Asthma
This can happen for a lot of reasons—but it comes down to having too many allergens present. When you’re indoors running your HVAC system with no windows or doors open, this shouldn’t be a problem. If it is, then you need to look at what indoor air quality solutions may help. Many times, it’s duct sealing—which starts with duct testing.
Contact Climate Masters for professional duct testing in St Augustine, FL and beyond. Serving St. Johns County since 1988 with quality, hometown service.
