“COMMON DUCT WORK QUESTIONS & CONCERNS:”

DUCTS ARE OLD:

• Air ducts just like any object or appliance are compromised with age. Through years of wear and tear, their materials crack and dry out causing holes and leaks. 

DUCTS ARE WRONG SIZES:

• If the ducts were not the right size, the joints and seals might not seal tightly, leading to leaky air ducts. This will lead to your home never reaching the desired temperature throughout. 

DUCTS ARE UNDER INSULATED:

• If your ducts do not have the proper level of insulation, then the HVAC unit will have to heat or cool the ducts before the air can reach the proper temperature and be dispersed into the rooms. Therefore, your bills will soar and your rooms will still not be comfortably heated or cooled even though your unit is constantly running. Take note if your AC appears to be blowing hot air before it turns cold.

DUCTS ARE LEAKING:

• This is when air seeps out through holes in your duct. If your ducts are leaking, the conditioned air is now escaping through those holes before it can get to the room you mean to cool or heat. The Result? Your house might never get to the temperature you wanted. You may have hot or cold spots that you struggle to correct.

AIR FLOW IS UNBALANCE:

• Does it seem like one register blows more air than another? This might be caused by where the register is located. Make sure you do not have a drape or object, such as furniture, which is blocking it. Unbalanced air flow results in some rooms getting too hot while others get too cold.

WHEN ARE DUCT REPAIRS NEEDED:

If you notice strange noises form your ducts, visible damage or tangles, or you may experience uneven temperatures throughout your home, you may need to get your air ducts evaluated. 

• You can hear strange noises from the ducts! If this happens, you have two options. You are about to become the subject of duct evaluation or your ductwork is dirty and damaged. The latter is a much more realistic scenario and the sounds you may be hearing could resemble a clamoring or a rattling. This could also mean that the duct are loose and in danger of falling. Another sound you might be hearing is a faint whistling. This is the air passing through them if they are leaky and have holes. All of the situations described above will require you to call in a professional HVAC Technician for a ductwork modification.

• The ducts are damaged or tangled. You can actually perform a visual inspection of the ducts yourself. Are they worn down in any way? Can you see any damage caused by time such as holes? Maybe some sections are now separated from the others or they are about to fall off? If you notice any damage whatsoever, please call a technician specialist to solve this problem for you. Old ducts that are also in disrepair can harm your whole HVAC Systems.

• Uneven temperatures in the house. This essentially means that some of the rooms are cold while others are hot. When that happens, the ducts might not be well sized for your house. Or they could be leaking or obstructed by something. Every one of these problems means you will have to schedule an appointment with a professional HVAC Specialist for a ductwork modification or air duct balancing.

• How Do You Know If Your Ducts Are Leaking?
  Your utility bills are very high – Since the ducts cannot transport the air in a proper manner, then your HVAC unit needs to work a lot harder to cool or heat your house. That means it uses more energy. Hence your higher bills.

• The house takes a long time to cool or heat – if this is happening, the air duct might be malfunctioning not properly working.

• After you turn on the air conditioner, the rooms are dusty – the air ducts suck in dust and debris if they have leaks. This then gets blown back into the house when you turn on the Air Conditioning.

WHY DO LEAKY DUCTS NEED TO BE FIXED?

• If a duct system is not sealed properly, some 20% of all the heating and cooling that’s supposed to come into your house or building will actually end up in the attic. Not to mention that the older your house is, the worse it gets. Old homes actually lose up to 40% of their efficiency because of faulty duct work.

• But what happens to the ducts? They simply get worn out. Hot or cold air gets delivered through them all years long which makes them shift, move, wear and tear. Apart from that, there could be some debris that is making it difficult for the air to move through them. All of this needs to be addressed.

HOW LONG DOES DUCT WORK LAST FOR?

• Most homes have ductwork that lasts approximately 10 to 15 years before problems arise. Have your ducts replaced if they are over 15 years old to prevent major issues such as pests, gaps, or collapsed sections. By keeping an eye on the HVAC system, you can ensure that your home remains comfortable and prevent drafts or stuffy areas.

DUCT WORK REPLACEMENT (VS) REPAIR:

• Once you’ve determined that your duct work is faulty, you will have to choose between repairing it and replacing it altogether. If you can still perform a few good repairs, do them. There’s no need to go for a replacement which is pricier. However, there are a few situations in which a duct work replacement is absolutely necessary.

• Your ducts are made of very cheap materials. This could mean they will break down multiple times and will end up costing a lot more than the replacement

• The system is older than 10 or 15 years. This is usually the breaking point when every duct work starts to slowly deteriorate.

• You’ve discovered the plastic ducts are covered in mold. Cleaning them is not a solution in this case. But if they are made of metal, you can get them professionally cleaned.

HOW CAN I CHECK MY AIR DUCTS?

• Vent Inspection: Inspect your registers one by one. Are they filthy? Clean them.

• Then go back a month later. Do you see a streak of dirt or dust at the registers? IF so, you may have a leak.

ROOM BY ROOM INSPECTION:

• You will need to turn on the HVAC system to run air through the vents.

• Make sure all the interior and exterior doors are closed.

• Close all windows.

• One by one, crack open each interior door of your house.

• If you notice your doors moving, check your air ducts as there may be a problem with air pressure.

• Stop Letting Money Leak Out Your Home!

• Here’s the fact of the day for you. A duct that has not been installed correctly can increase your bills up to 30 percent. If you take into account how big your house or the building you own is, this can mean hundreds of dollars per month that you are paying needlessly. But there’s more. Poorly installed duct work can also reduce the air quality inside your house or building. It can lead to mold, mildew, dust, and a growth of bacteria and toxins. They might cause asthma and respiratory problems in the long run.

“When it comes to your home’s air quality, the truth is that nobody cares more about what goes on in your house than you do. We take pride in our work and will never give up until we have solved all of your problems with affordable solutions. Your air ducts are an important part of your home's HVAC systems. If they're not working properly, you may be losing out on some serious cash in the long run! That’s why it can pay to invest a little upfront and get them repaired by specialists.”