Duct Sealing: An Easy, Necessary Task for Whole-House Efficiency

Ah, modern engineering. You turn on the central A/C, and cool, refreshing air flows out through the ducts and into the rooms on your house. Well, that’s more or less how it works. The “less” comes from the fact that 20 percent of the cool air is lost in an average home, through cracks and gaps in the ductwork. That’s why duct sealing is so important if you want to get the most out of your A/C!

On your own, you can inspect the easily-accessible ducts for any air leaks. Look for patterns of dust spreading out along a wall or ceiling. If you find any, seal them with mastic sealant or metal tape, which may also be called foil tape. Don’t use duct tape! Strange as it seems, it’s not the best choice for ductwork.

Professional duct care can get you more than just duct sealing. Here are some tasks an HVAC contractor will do for you:

• Take a look at the whole duct system, even attic, and crawl space areas.
• Make sure the ducts are properly sized for your HVAC system and your home, and that there’s a good balance between the supply and return volumes of air.
• Repair and replace ducts that may have been damaged or disconnected, or ducts that were installed oversized or undersized.
• Seal leaks along the length of the ductwork, as well as gaps behind registers and grills.
• Insulate ducts so that air in circulation isn’t trying to equalize to the temperature of non-conditioned crawlspaces.
• Change the air filter.
• Make sure there’s no backdrafting of furnace fumes into the duct system, and make sure that sealed ducts pass a combustion safety test.
• Evaluate total airflow through the home.

They may not look like much, but your ducts are some of your best friends when it comes to home comfort. To learn more about how duct sealing can make you more comfortable in your central Florida home, call us at Scott’s Heating & Air Conditioning!

Tags: air filter, duct sealing, ductwork, energy efficiency, replace air ducts

Categorised in: Ductwork