At Willard AC, we always emphasize the importance of your home’s HVAC unit, but your HVAC unit would be useless without air ducts delivering the hot or cold air that it produces. But, of course, if you have leaks, it’s like operating without the convenience of your ducts anyway.
Our team has traced loose duct issues to various causes, from poor installation to excess humidity. We can ensure our installations are always thorough, but in North Texas, excess moisture is more difficult to avoid. In reality, you may experience loose ducts at some point in your system’s lifetime, so it’s essential to recognize the signs. See below for everything you need to know about your home’s air ducts.
Signs of Problematic Ducts
Loose ducts are air ducts with leaks around the adhesive site. The sealing can break due to wild animals sneaking in there, system aging, and damage from improper repairs. You’ll know if you have a leaking air duct because your HVAC system will exhibit the following signs:
- Excess dust or humidity in the home
- Spikes in your energy bill
- Collapsing or dented ducts
- Difficulties heating or cooling a space properly
Additionally, loose ducts make considerably more noise than they should. Your HVAC system should be quiet, but if you notice a rattling, banging, or vibrating noise when the system is on, you need to have your ducts checked out by a professional.
These pathways leading to your home’s spaces also help maintain indoor air quality. Unfortunately, leaking ducts can pull in dusty air that hasn’t gone through the system’s air filtration. This mishap is especially a problem for ducts in basements, attics, and crawl spaces. Low indoor air quality can take a toll on your family’s health, but loose air ducts cause problems for your entire HVAC system as well.
Managing Leaking Air Ducts
The Environmental Protection Agency states that homes can lose about 20-30% of the air in ducts due to leaks, holes, and poorly sealed connections. When air escapes your ducts, your HVAC system is forced to work harder to make up for the lost air. If it’s cold outside, your furnace won’t heat your home efficiently, leading to an overworked furnace. Breakdowns and excessive repairs are likely to follow for a strained system.
Achieve Better Comfort Levels
Leaky ducts don’t just cause your system to run longer, and they cause the entire setup to work less efficiently. Leaky ducts can lead to hot and cold spots around the home that you can’t resolve with thermostat adjustments. Leaks can also leave your home feeling stuffy because you’re getting less airflow than you need in every room of the house.
When you seal your ducts, you’ll get more robust airflow through every register, resulting in even temperatures throughout the house and enough airflow to keep the home feeling fresh.
Lower Utility Bills
Sealing your ducts gives you a greener home that requires less energy for ongoing comfort. In addition, you will decrease your HVAC usage with the efficiency perks of a well-sealed system. You can also reduce energy bills associated with ceiling fans and other supplementary systems you may use to try and improve your comfort in a home with significant air losses through ductwork.
Are you ready to cash in on the savings available with newly sealed ductwork? Contact Willard Cooling, Heating, Plumbing, & Electrical to learn more about our highly efficient aerosealing process for your ducts. With our duct sealing, you could regain 30 cents on every dollar spent on your utility bill. Call (972) 564-9785 to schedule your appointment now.
