Many American households assume that the ductwork in their house is orderly and there are no issues with them. Unfortunately, according to the US Department of Energy, most duct systems have significant or minor leaks and defects, resulting in a 30% heating and cooling loss in the average home.
Let’s look into why ducts get problems and what you can do about it.
Ducts transport conditioned air from your heater and air conditioner to various rooms in your home. Ducts circulate air through intake vents and into the HVAC system. Regrettably, these ducts aren’t usually as well-designed as they may be. Installation errors might cause air leaks or allow heat to escape and enter the ducts in an unwelcome manner. Due to the pressure of the air, a duct system may develop leaks with time.
This air loss creates several issues in your home, including:
- Poor indoor air quality.
- Unclean ducts.
- Wasted energy
- Increased energy costs
- HVAC equipment is being subjected to more wear and tear.
If you discover issues with ducts in your home, the first step is professional duct testing to determine the scope of the air leak issue. Once the issue is found, the next step is to hire a professional duct sealer to stop the leaks and return the ventilation system to its original state.
What Is Duct Testing?
A duct testing involves forcing air through the duct system under pressure and measuring the airflow at various points across the system using several methods. The test can detect the total amount of leakage and the location of any leaks in the system by comparing pressures and flow rates.
What Is Duct Sealing?
Once the leaks have been discovered, they can be patched with duct mastic (a thick paste that produces a tight permanent seal), foil tape (a variant with a mastic backing that works well), or aerosol sealants.
It’s not a good idea to use traditional duct tape because it tends to come loose over time. Once the repairs are finished, a second duct test can be performed to validate the reduced air leakage.
The Benefits of Duct Sealing
You can observe many benefits when your air ducts are sealed, including:
- Better Comfort
Issues, such as rooms being too hot or too cold, can be alleviated by sealing and insulating ducts.
- Better indoor air quality
Inhaling fumes from household and yard chemicals, insulation particles, and dust can aggravate asthma and allergy symptoms. By minimizing the possibility of contaminants entering through the ducts and circulating throughout your home, duct sealing can enhance indoor air quality.
- Increased efficiency and cost savings
When duct leaks are sealed, your home’s heating and cooling system perform as expected. It also safeguards the HVAC system, allowing homeowners to get more years out of their heating and cooling systems and avoid the cost of replacing them.
For quality duct testing and sealing that leads to better heater performance and efficiency, contact Climate Masters today! We’re you’re trusted resource for heater repair in St. Augustine, FL and much more.
