When Is Your Ductwork Too Old to Deliver?

Leaking or defective ductwork is a problem that’s common in many homes, and since ductwork is often hidden from view, its deteriorating condition may go unnoticed. If your Portland area home is 10 years or older, there’s a good chance that the ductwork originally installed at the time of construction has developed problems that should be addressed. Builders often install inexpensive air duct systems, often sealing them with standard “duct tape,” which, over time, loses its adhesive ability, dries out and promotes air leakage.

Leaking ducts can have a variety of negative effects on your home, including:

• Uneven cooling and heating in different areas of the home
• Unusually high levels of dust and other airborne particulate material
• Higher energy bills
• Higher incidence of allergy and/or breathing difficulty symptoms

The age of your home’s air ducts plays a significant role in their efficiency. As your home settles seasonally and over time, strain can be placed on the system, causing seams and connections to separate. When leaks occur in ducts and the conditioned air escapes into unwanted areas such as in wall cavities, crawlspace, attic or garage, this is wasted air that could be heating or cooling your living areas. Leaky ducts can also result in a pressure imbalance in your HVAC system, causing it to work harder than it should to provide conditioned air. This can result in more frequent repair needs and a shorter life expectancy of your equipment.

Since air ducts are typically hidden from view, troubleshooting problems in the system is best left to professionals who have specialized equipment for finding leaks. In addition to reconnecting any duct sections that may have become separated and sealing up any leaky seams, ducting that’s located in any unheated or uncooled areas of your home should also be insulated against heat loss and gain.

Since 1976, Roth Heating & Cooling has been a top HVAC service provider, offering quality sales, installation and service on indoor air comfort and air quality equipment. Contact us for assistance in determining the state of your home’s ductwork and for proving simple, affordable solutions.