You pay enough for your home’s heating and cooling! You certainly don’t want to pay extra without getting anything more for your money. Unfortunately, that’s what most people are already doing. Why? Leaks in your home’s ductwork lead to serious costs, both in energy bills and in other HVAC issues.
Are your ducts leaking? Here’s how to find out.
Ductwork: A Hidden Hero
Your heating system and your air conditioner get all the attention. But the way that heated and cooled air makes it to the places where it’s needed is through ductwork. Summer or winter, your ducts are always needed. But the fact that your ductwork is out of sight means it’s easy to forget about it and let it end up in poor condition. In fact, the average duct system is in bad enough shape that 30% of heated and cooled air is lost through leaks!
Age
Ductwork started to be put in most new construction in the 1970s. That means some of it has been in place for half a century! Even a decade or two can be a long time for ductwork, depending on what it’s made of. Flexible ducts are particularly vulnerable.
Damage
Many things can cause harm to ducts. Mice may chew through them. Nails and screws may puncture them during renovations or even the simple hanging of a picture frame. Vibration from your furnace and air conditioner can loosen connections. And the constant temperature fluctuations cause expansion and contraction and can lead to cracking.
Signs of Duct Leaks
Higher energy bills are a definite sign of leaking ducts. But if the leaks have been there for a long time, you might not know just how low your energy bills could be! Uneven or insufficient heat, noises such as whistling or rattling, and a lot of dust at your vents or in your home in general are other indicators. And if you can see any duct tape on your ducts, someone has been trying to repair leaks already.
Duct Tape
Despite the name, duct tape is a terrible solution to leaking ductwork. Remember those temperature fluctuations we mentioned? This causes the adhesive on duct tape to dry out and become brittle very quickly. The tape will start to flake away, and the leak will not be securely sealed. Instead, you need professional help.
Duct Repair
When you get duct repair in Ashburn, VA from a qualified technician, you’ll be getting a much better solution to your problem than a piece of tape. The special sealants that HVAC professionals use are flexible, and they stay that way for a long time. This means your ducts can expand and contract without undoing the repairs.
Benefits of Sealed Ducts
When your ducts are no longer leaking, your energy bills will drop. But there’s more to it than that. Dust from between your walls won’t get sucked into your ducts and end up in your air, or worse, in the workings of your furnace and air conditioner. These particles can cause a lot of damage, leading to repair needs and early system retirement. Don’t put up with all that! Get duct repair now.
AllTech Services, Inc. is your trusted resource for all your heating concerns. Contact us today!