Did you know that one simple task can drastically reduce your cooling bills by as much as 30 percent? According to ENERGY STAR, duct sealing prevents cooled air from escaping through cracks and gaps in the system. This lost air leads to more than just higher energy costs. Here's how to prevent wasting energy and prevent a host of other problems in your Buckhead home with duct sealing.
Get Your Ducts in a Row
The winding series of duct tubes that snake throughout your home's underbelly may be unseen, but they perform a critical task: delivering conditioned air to every room of the home. You can have the most efficient air conditioner known to man, but if the delivery system is faulty, it won't perform to its potential.
Poor connections, leaks and holes let air that's moving through the ducts escape. If you have ducts in the basement or attic, that means you're paying to cool spaces that don't need cooling and where you don't spend much time. Learning the signs of poor duct performance can help you identify scenarios that call for duct sealing. These signs include the following:
- Rising energy bills: If you can't connect your higher bills simply to rising prices alone, you may need sealing.
- Hot or stuffy zones in areas of the home: If there's significant leakage in a duct running to the family room, for example, that room is probably not getting the necessary load of cooled air for it to remain comfortable.
- Ductwork that's located in hard-to-reach areas, such as an attic: If the ducts are hard to access, it's less likely that they've been properly sealed.
- Some of the ducts are flexible: Flexible ducts can easily get tangled.
Drive Duct Performance
The simple act of sealing ducts reaps significant rewards. For a low-cost project, you can earn these coveted benefits:
- Lower energy bills: When there's less waste in the ducts, your home becomes the recipient of the full amount of air your air conditioner generates.
- Better comfort: With the full amount of air being delivered to the rooms in your home, you'll be more comfortable - without having to pay more in cooling costs.
- Increased indoor air quality: Backdrafting is a problem when ducts leak, and other contaminants like insulation or outdoor chemicals can also get drawn into the home via the ducts. Sealed ducts prevent this process of contamination.
Sealing Ducts
Work with a professional to identify problematic ducts that are leaking or damaged. Using metal-backed tape or mastic sealant, the pro will ensure each connection is tightly sealed. It's also helpful to hire a professional to do the job because of the other tasks she will perform:
- Testing the entire duct system to measure its airflow
- Inspecting the ductwork for damage
- The ability to inspect the entire duct system, even those portions behind walls and floors
- Sealing all components of the ductwork, including registers and grills
- Assessing the ductworks insulation
- Ensuring the system doesn't allow backdrafting
Alongside an air conditioner tuneup, there's almost no better way to make sure you get the most from your cooling system this summer. Contact Reliable Heating & Air today to schedule an appointment to have your ductwork inspected and sealed. We're happy to help our neighbors with HVAC, indoor air quality, plumbing and electrical services. Just give us a call today!
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