3 HVAC Issues Associated with Ductwork
Homeowners and contractors often overlook the impact of ductwork on heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) issues in homes. People seem to always think the problem has to do with the HVAC equipment (e.g. furnace, AC unit). However, the equipment can be operating fine, and you can still have common HVAC problems such as dust/allergies, hot/cold spots, and high utility bills.
Common HVAC Issues
Issue #1: Dust and Allergies Associated with Bad Ductwork
Improve the indoor air quality (IAQ) of your home by sealing the ductwork.
Pollen, dust mites, mold, animal dander, and other contaminants are common allergy triggers. There is not much you can do about pollen or dust outside of your home but when you’re indoors nothing is worse than having that month long runny nose during the fall or mold allergies in the spring.
When you have leaky ductwork in your home you can expect with 100% certainty that these common contaminants are in there with you.
Issue #2: Hot/Cold Spots in Homes Associated with Bad Ductwork
Make your home more comfortable by sealing the ductwork.
People struggling with high temperature variations between rooms or floors might not realize most of their conditioned air is escaping through duct leaks instead of flowing into their living space! Leaks in your ductwork allow cooled or heated air to escape into your attic, basement, crawlspace or even into your walls.
Do you notice little or no air flowing from your registers?
Sealing your ductworks will help fix this problem and allow your system to properly heat and cool your home by keeping conditioned air where you want it.
Issue #3: High Utility Bills Associated with Bad Ductwork
Improve HVAC equipment performance and reduce utility bills by sealing the ductwork.
On average, 30 cents of every $1 spent on heating and cooling never makes it to your living spaces because it is leaking out of your ductwork!
Duct leaks are caused by a variety of factors including the age of the dwelling, type of construction, type of ductwork and local building codes.
Sealing duct leaks reduces the amount of heated or cooled air the supply fan must handle to deliver the same amount of air to the conditioned space.
Industry Experts Acknowledge the Overlooked Impact of Ductwork
U.S. Department of Energy (DOE): “Typical duct systems lose 25 to 40 percent of the heating or cooling energy put out by the central furnace, heat pump, or air conditioner. Homes with ducts in a protected area such as a basement may lose somewhat less than this, while some other types of systems (such as attic ducts in hot, humid climates) often lose more. Duct repairs could be the most important energy improvement measure you can do.”
California Energy Commission: “Why would you waste the energy savings from a new efficient air conditioner or furnace by connecting it to a leaky duct system? Properly sealed duct systems will lower your energy bills, increase your comfort and reduce pollution both inside and outside your home.”
Pacific Gas & Electric: “The ducts that are part of central heating and cooling systems offer one of the best opportunities to increase your energy efficiency and your comfort. Studies indicate that 10%-30% of the heated or cooled air is lost—along with the money spent to heat or cool that air—through leaky ducts. Duct testing is strongly recommended when a new heating and/or air conditioning unit is being installed. If the existing duct system is leaky and inefficient before the new unit is installed, it will still be leaky and inefficient after the new unit is installed—unless the ducts are tested and sealed by a qualified contractor. It does not make sense to install a new, energy-efficient heating and/or air conditioning unit unless the duct system is also energy efficient. It is not unusual to find that sealing, repair, or renovation must be performed to complement a comprehensive HVAC installation. Properly sized, installed, and sealed ductwork will make your heating and cooling systems significantly more efficient.”
Replacing your old heating and cooling system with a new high-efficiency system?
It is essential that you evaluate the duct system, and if necessary make improvements, to receive anticipated energy savings. A leaky duct system will drag down the performance of the new equipment. A chain is only as strong as its weakest link, and the weak link here is usually the old duct system.
Are you a homeowner? Aeroseal dealers are trained to consider your often overlooked ductwork as a culprit for common HVAC problems. Find an Aeroseal dealer near you to fix common HVAC issues in your home by sealing your ductwork, or contact our main corporate office: call us, email us, or leave a comment below.
Are a contractor? Aeroseal can help you help your customers better. See how it works in homes.