Why Tight Ductwork Is Important

When was the last time you had your car serviced? As you drive around, belts wear down, bolts loosen, and materials deteriorate. Open up your hood, and you can see how everything is connected and even find evidence if something isn’t working as it should.

But your home’s heating and cooling system is a little more difficult to understand. You can’t pry open the top of your home and peer inside. You may be able to see vents and ducts from different vantage points, but understanding the entire system is difficult at best.

Your ductwork controls how well your home is heated and cooled. And because most ducts are hidden from view, ductwork leakage is often a problem. Loose ducts not only make your rooms colder or warmer, depending on the season, they also drive up energy costs and lead to poor indoor air quality.

If your ducts haven’t been assessed routinely, they could be causing:

Higher energy bills. If conditioned air is not freely flowing through the ductwork and out of the vents into your rooms, your room may be colder or warmer than you desire. The natural reaction is to play with the thermostat until you get the desired results. Every time you change the temperature a degree, you are adding to the fee you’ll find on your utility bill.

Dirty air. If your ductwork has cracks and leaks, it means every time you run your furnace or air conditioner, air is leaking through those cracks and holes. Along with the air, it also picks up dust, pollen, pet dander, insulation fibers, or anything else that made its way to your ductwork. This flows out of the ductwork and into your rooms.

Dangerous air. Do you use gas appliances in your home? They too are vented. And when loose or leaking ductwork runs nearby, they may have an increased risk for higher levels of carbon monoxide. Leaks can siphon the exhaust fumes of a gas furnace or dryer, for instance, into the ducts. It may not be enough for asphyxiation, but if it goes on for months or years, it can impact your health in many ways.

Leaks can occur at any time. They can occur from normal wear and tear. They can occur if installed incorrectly and are too small to handle the amount of air pressure running through the system. They can occur if repairs were made incorrectly. They can occur if registers are covered or closed, forcing air to disseminate into different areas.

The only way to discover the problem is with regular maintenance and inspection from your professional HVAC technician. They can pinpoint the problem and use a professional solution to tighten your ductwork and make it safer for you and your family.

Call R.S. Andrews for Duct Services in Atlanta

How safe is your ductwork? Call R.S. Andrews for help finding out and sealing any leaks!