The ductwork in the modern home is often substandard, as if the original builders of the house didn’t put much thought into the placement or materials of these important air channels. We’ve seen plenty of poor ductwork in the more than two decades we’ve worked on HVAC systems. This is why duct sealing in Gainesville, FL is one of the most important services we can provide for a ventilation system. Leaks are much more likely to occur in poorly designed and installed ducts. But even quality ductwork can develop leaks.
Professional duct sealing is the only way to effectively close air leaks along ductwork. A few leaks may not sound like it’s that big a deal, but we can assure you that duct sealing is highly beneficial, no matter the number of leaks.
Leaking air ducts cannot maintain proper air pressure
The reasons ducts need to be airtight along their length—from the air handler to the room vents—is to maintain air pressure. A loss of air pressure results in weak airflow coming out of the vents, and this significantly reduces the effectiveness of the HVAC system, both for heating, air conditioning, and air circulation.
Duct sealing prevents rises in energy costs
Up to 30% of the air moving through ductwork can be lost to air leaks. This is air that has already been heated or cooled, but it ends up going to waste in places such as between walls and in the attic. So in the winter, this is like paying to heat the attic! You may be paying much higher heating and cooling costs than you should and not even known about it. Duct sealing gets those energy expenses back under control.
Duct sealing helps with humidity control
Humidity is a serious barrier toward comfort in Florida, and leaking ductwork will make the problem worse. The duct system will draw humid air from other parts of the house into the ventilation system and end up spreading it around the rooms.
Airtight ducts help with better indoor air quality
There are many sources of air pollution in your house, and some of the worst are lying in the closed off-spaces where the ducts are located. Air leaks will draw in these pollutants like sawdust, dust mites, mold, mildew, and lint from insulation and then put it into your living spaces. Duct sealing keeps the circulating air cleaner.
Watch for the Signs and Call Us for Duct Sealing
If you notice indicators of leaky ducts—higher utility bills, low airflow from the vents, moldy odors in the air, rattling from the ducts—then the best step is to call our technicians. They can test to see if your ducts are losing air, and if they are they will seal up the air leaks with the best tools. (No, you can’t do this job on your own with duct tape. Duct tape isn’t actually designed for use on ducts.)
Schedule duct testing and duct sealing with Touchstone Heating & Air Inc. Serving the Communities of North Central Florida since 1998.