Homes with forced-air heating and air conditioning systems use ductwork to distribute conditioned air. Unfortunately, a quarter to a third of heated and cooled air is commonly lost through leaks in the ductwork. Sealing your ducts can create obvious benefits in terms of greater comfort, higher efficiency and utility savings.
Why do ducts leak? For most of us who have never seen our ductwork, it's good to understand what's going on.
Poor Installation or Repair
The primary cause of leaking ductwork is poor installation. Joints, seams and fittings can and do fall apart. What's more, an unbalanced system can create high or low pressure that exacerbates this problem.Repairing or sealing with so-called duct tape is another issue. Duct tape deteriorates over time, particularly given the conditions that can prevail in a home's attic, crawlspace, garage or basement, where ducts are usually located. Mastic sealant or foil tape should be used instead. If your ductwork lies in an unconditioned area, consider wrapping ducts with insulation.
Leaks can occur anywhere, including where the main air supply meets the air handler, connections between bends and the main duct line and from smaller branches at the main supply line.
Benefits of Sealing Ducts
Comfort. Your HVAC system will not have to work as hard to provide you with efficient heating or cooling if ducts are well sealed.
Utility savings. Obviously, if your HVAC system isn't working as hard, the lower costs will be reflected on your bill.
Efficiency. If you've invested in newer, more efficient equipment, you'll want to get the most out of them. Make your system even more efficient by preventing conditioned air from leaking into the attic, basement, crawlspace and garage.
Better air quality. Sealing ducts can reduce the amount of pollutants circulating in your system.
Reduced fossil fuel consumption. By reducing your use of fossil fuels, you're contributing less to carbon emissions.
For more information about sealing your ducts, contact Air Assurance in Broken Arrow. We've been serving the Tulsa area since 1985.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). Credit/Copyright Attribution: “Silroby80/Shutterstock”