Your southwest Illinois home’s ductwork does a lot of work throughout the year, especially in the winter. When you get a bit of respite from extreme weather in the spring, consider performing routine duct sealing maintenance to patch up any leaks.
The Problems
Air leaks are the most common problem with ducts, and can hurt you in many ways. First and foremost, you’ll lose warmed or cooled air, which means you need to replace it by heating or cooling more air. This raises energy bills and lowers your family’s comfort. When air escapes before reaching its destination, it will take longer to bring the temperature of your home to a comfortable level.
Another major issue with air leaks is that unfiltered air can enter ducts through cracks and gaps in the ductwork. This air may be carrying contaminants such as dust, mold spores and pollen, or even carbon monoxide in extreme cases. These contaminants will circulate into your home where they can trigger allergies and other respiratory issues.
How to Seal Your Ducts
If duct leaks develop, the first challenge is to find them. Unlike other parts of your HVAC system, ductwork can be difficult to inspect as it’s largely out of sight and even inaccessible. Do your best to inspect ducts where they’re readily visible – for instance, in the attic or crawl space.
If you suspect significant leakage, it’s good idea to call in an HVAC professional. The tech will inspect your ductwork and possibly conduct a duct blower test to assess the condition of the duct system.
Duct leaks usually can be repaired with high quality metal tape or mastic sealant, though if they’re in particularly bad shape, more serious repairs or replacement may be in order. Your technician can determine what’s the best long-term option for you and your home.
For help with routine duct sealing maintenance or any other HVAC maintenance in your Alton or Glen Carbon home, please contact us at Ernst Heating & Cooling.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Hamel, Alton, Glen Carbon, Highland, Greenville, and Troy, Illinois and surrounding areas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about duct sealing and other HVAC topics, visit our blog.
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