The Giveaway Signs of Duct Problems

Duct problems can be a big source of energy losses and potential health hazards in your home. A properly designed and maintained ductwork system will provide energy-efficient heating and cooling, increase your family’s comfort, and improve your indoor air quality. Your investment in ductwork repairs and improvements could pay for itself over just a few years by reducing your home heating and cooling costs.

A basic inspection of your heating and cooling systems can identify obvious signs of duct problems:

• In an ideal system, every room in the house will have a supply register and a return register, to allow for balanced airflow throughout the system. However, it’s common to have fewer return ducts than supply ducts.
• Look for holes in ducts, seams and connections that are not sealed, and places where duct tape has come loose or has lost its adhesive ability. Leaking ducts account for significant energy losses in a typical home, and can allow carbon monoxide and radon gas to be sucked into the home’s living areas due to pressure imbalances in the system.
• Check your ductwork to see if it’s insulated in sections that pass through unconditioned areas such as your attic or garage. Uninsulated ducts lose a lot of energy by conducting heated air directly out of the house in the winter, or allowing heat energy to dilute cool, conditioned air during the air conditioning season.
• If you have rooms in your house that are difficult to heat or cool, duct problems could be the reason. If conditioned air is not reaching a room or area, the room may be “supplied” by a blind duct that’s not connected to your system, or it may signal that you need to add insulation or repair leaks in the ducts supplying that room.

Get professional help for extensive repairs to your ductwork. Knowledgeable technicians know the correct materials to use and know how to keep your system in balance to provide proper airflow throughout your house. Call us at (503) 266-1249 for professional HVAC services throughout the greater Portland area.