888.630.9224With over one million miles of duct work in US homes, it’s hard to believe that they’d all be in perfect working condition. The ducts may seem like small potatoes in the grand scheme of central heating, however this isn’t the case. Without the ducts, warm air wouldn’t be able to circulate through your home and you’d be left with a heating system with no way of doing its job effectively. So faulty ducts in a home can cause some problems, and if left unchecked, those problems could cost you hundreds of dollars.
A big problem that many homeowners face in terms of duct issues, is the distribution of air itself. If a duct segment is off its alignment, it exposes a hole that causes air to escape, heating the area that the leak is going through twice, or just getting lost completely. And if one area is getting too much air, then other areas of the home aren’t getting enough. On top of the irregularity of the air distribution, when areas of the home aren’t getting the proper amount of air, the central heating system works harder to make up for the wasted air, in turn costing you more on your electric bill.
Home air ducts are usually constructed out of a thin, lightweight metal that are easy to rearrange, repair and, replace in the event of home remodeling. Newer homes may not have as many problems with leaky air ducts as older homes, but getting into the habit and mindframe of checking the ducts can help avoid leaks. So, before you blame the irregularity on the central heating itself, make sure you get the whole picture. Getting ahold of the inside wall plans of your home is a must for checking the ducts; it helps you see through the walls without getting a sledgehammer. Leaks are most likely to occur when the ducts turn or when there is a long stretch of duct with minimal support. Ducts are secured pretty tightly, but these areas are what you need to look out for most. Once you’ve located the potential leakage spots, take care and be aware. If one room or area of the home seems a little too well heated, while others are scanty, the first thing you should look into is getting an air duct testing crew to come and check it out.
The air duct testing team uses a test that measures the pressure of the air in the ducts by blowing fans through them. If a leak in evident, they’ll notice a drop in the pressure as the air escapes through the crack. As well as being able to tell if a leak is present, the test can also determine where the leak is, how big it is, and with a little math, how much the leak is costing you. Problems with household air ducts don’t happen overnight, but when they do strike, it’s good to know what to look for and how to fix it.
