Leaky Ductwork Costs You Money and Can Cause Health Problems
HVAC professionals estimate that in the average home around 20-25 percent of the conditioned air escapes through leaks in ductwork before it can be forced through your vents to cool or heat the rooms in your home. Your air conditioning ductwork is a significant part of the efficiency of your home HVAC system.
Ducts are insulated pipes or flexible insulated ducts that transport air throughout your house and help control the contaminants that impact your indoor air quality (IAQ). Ductwork that has holes, leaks or that have not been properly connected will cost you money in higher energy bills and negatively affect the amount of allergens, dust, bacteria and other contaminants that circulate throughout your home.
Leaky Ductwork symptoms:
- High utility bills
- Slow cooling or heating of rooms
- No insulation on visible ducts
- Stuffy rooms
- Temperature spotting – some rooms are colder or warmer than others
- High level of dust, air filter gets dirty quickly
- Increase in allergic reactions or headaches in home residents
If duct leakage is around 20 percent or more of the total airflow, then the efficiency of your cooling system can drop by as much as 50 percent. Duct leakage lowers heating and cooling capacity making your system work harder and thereby reducing equipment life.
Duct air leaks occur most frequently at the duct connection points. Major damage, such as environmental damage, rodent damage, or disconnected ducts can result in the need for complete duct system replacement.
Well sealed, clean, quality ductwork will improve the performance of your HVAC system’s efficiency. Duct tape is not the answer for sealing your ductwork. Ask your HVAC professional about the special metal backed tape or duct sealants used to repair or maintain the integrity of your duct system. Unlike duct tape this special tape is fire-resistant and provides a long lasting adhesive.
For sealing duct connections you will want to use materials that have been proven to be effective, such as:
- Mastic, which is a sticky and highly effective adhesive that dries to a soft solid
- Foil Tape, which has metal foil backing and an acrylic adhesive (tapes and Mastics should be UL 181 approved)
- Aerosol sealant is a gluey vinyl polymer that is applied to leaks from the inside of the duct. The sealant is applied by pumping aerosolized sealant into a pressurized duct system. Aerosol sealant needs to be professionally installed.
The benefits of duct sealing include increased comfort, cost savings, cleaner indoor air quality and avoiding potential health problems. However, if sufficient damage or aging has occurred replacing the ductwork may be your best solution.
Best Practice for Building Performance: Prevent health issues and reduce energy bills by have your ducts periodically inspected, sealed, repaired or replaced as needed.
Call Modern Service for a Free Air Conditioning System Evaluation or for your convenience use our Online Schedule Appointment form.
Tags: ac, air conditioner, air conditioning, ductwork sealing, heat pump, heating, hvac, indoor air quality, leaky ductwork, sw florida
