Believe it or not, most residential HVAC systems are incredibly inefficient. From unprotected duct connections to foil tape failure at the plenums, there are a variety of escape routes for your expensive, paid-for conditioned air.
Leaks in ducts are bad. You want to maximize the use of the air you’re paying to heat or cool, but leaks make it difficult, if not impossible, to do so. At Duct Pro Contractors, we always seal the deal and go the extra mile to rid your ducts out of any imperfections and flaws. Homeowners love the results, and we enjoy assisting in their fulfillment.
There are multiple advantages to a duct seal, but we have condensed them into five easy-to-remember benefits.
Benefits Of Air Duct Sealing
Below are the five benefits of the duct air sealing process:
Improved Airflow And Comfort
That may sound like two benefits, but there is only one. Leaky ductwork might prevent conditioned air from reaching the intended areas of your home. On a cold night, a leaking supply duct could result in too little warm air entering your bedroom. This air seeps out of the ducts instead of going where it is needed.
The outcome? It becomes too cold for you to sleep soundly. Even with a nice blanket or duvet, it would be chilly, to doze off comfortably.
With a duct seal, more conditioned and regulated air can reach its intended destinations. You have more airflow where it’s needed, and your system doesn’t have to work twice as hard.
Lower Electricity Bills
Well-sealed ducts keep more air inside the house where it belongs. The more conditioned air you retain within, the less your HVAC system will have to work to maintain your comfort. In the end, you’ll pay less for the same (or even better!) degree of comfort you enjoyed before the air duct sealing.
If you believe that placing less stress on your system will extend its lifespan, you are correct! By sealing air ducts, there is a significant chance you will extend the life of your heating or cooling system.
Fresher And Healthier Air
Ductwork leaks will draw contaminated air into your HVAC system and house. If your air handler or blower is located in the attic, a leaky return will spread attic air throughout your living space. If the unit is in your crawlspace, it is likely that you are breathing crawlspace air – dank, musky, and stuffy.
Similarly, leaky supply ducts have a detrimental effect on air quality. Since the leaky ducts reduce the airflow to specific rooms, the pressure in some rooms will be negative. This circumstance enhances outdoor air infiltration. Over time, you may end up breathing in higher concentrations of dust, dirt, pollen, and other air contaminants, all while experiencing discomfort from the lack of ventilation.
Sealing the ducts prevents both circumstances, allowing you to keep the air in your home healthy and clean.
Cleaner Evaporator Coil
So, we’ve established that leaky return ducts introduce air from the crawlspace or attic into the system. The dust, dirt, and other particles in the air might collect on the evaporator coil of your system.
Essentially, there is a possibility of microbial growth on the coil. It smells awful, and it is most likely unhealthy to breathe.
Although a good air filter can prevent many of these particles from reaching the coil, not all filters are sufficient for catching them. And if the filter is not correctly positioned within the return ductwork, a significant amount of air may bypass it and reach the coil. This is a prevalent issue caused by subpar HVAC design. This is why leaky ducts frequently result in filthy coils despite the use of an air filter.
Obviously, you will need to have the evaporator coil cleaned by a professional HVAC technician. However, the duct seal prevents dirt from accumulating on the coil in the first place.
Fix Other Ductwork Problems
The trouble with ductwork issues is that it varies a lot from household to household, and most of them are hidden in plain sight. In addition to duct leaks, the following concerns may plague your HVAC system:
- Ducts that are sagging, bent, broken, or disconnected
- Poorly built ducts that move insufficient air
- Return or supply plenums that are too small
- Poorly insulated or non-insulated ducts that absorb excessive heat in the summer and lose excessive heat in the winter
When you engage a professional to inspect your ducts, they should discover areas of air leakage and alert you to additional issues that affect your comfort and energy usage. A poorly constructed, inadequate, and uninsulated duct system, for instance, can cause a multitude of HVAC and comfort-related issues! Depending on the severity of the damage, the system may not even be worth sealing.
It would be equivalent to adding memory to a computer purchased in 1995 that can only operate on… Windows 95. It is plain absurd.
Ultimately, you should pursue ductwork enhancements that effectively resolve your issues. Typically, existing ducts are sealed to accomplish this. However, there may be further issues to address first.
H2 – Sealing Air Ducts? Let The Pros Handle It
At Duct Pros, we strive to reduce duct leakage to an absolute minimum with high-quality duct seal solutions.
Call us if you want to improve your home’s comfort, air quality, and energy efficiency. We will listen to your issues and evaluate your duct system in order to decide the optimal course of action. Schedule an appointment today!
