Before the winter season hits, you may be cringing at the thought of paying your high heating costs. Fortunately, there are several steps you can take to help reduce this expense to a more manageable level, allowing it to fit within your budget. One of the best things you can do is invest in professional duct sealing service.
Understanding Ductwork Losses
The efficiency of your HVAC system and your indoor comfort ultimately rely on the effectiveness of your ducting. If you have new ducting with no leaks, your HVAC system will not only be more efficient, but you’ll also be more comfortable during the year’s most extreme temperature conditions.
However, if you have aging ductwork, it can develop leaks and gaps that permit the treated air your HVAC system produces to escape into wall and floor crevices. The EPA suggests that aging ductwork can allow between 20% and 30% of the treated air produced by your HVAC system to escape, rather than reaching the rooms in your home.
That means that you’ll be paying 20 to 30% more to heat and cool your home throughout the year. You’ll also likely find that it’s harder for your heating system to maintain a comfortable temperature in your home during extreme cold spells, and the same applies to the air conditioning system during heat waves.
What Is Duct Sealing?
A duct sealing service aims to repair all current leaks in your ductwork, restoring full functionality. This service is usually paired with ductwork cleaning. A technician will thoroughly clean the inside of all your ductwork to remove any debris buildup. This creates a clean, adhesive surface for a specialized resin that is inserted into your ducting.
This specialized resin will flow into any gaps in your ductwork and harden over time. This creates a nice, airtight seal that ensures all the hot or cold air produced by your HVAC system reaches the rooms in your home. We highly recommend duct sealing services every eight to 10 years. This can be an excellent method to boost HVAC efficiency without having to replace all the ducting in your home.
The Many Benefits of Professional Duct Sealing
One key thing to keep in mind when investing in any home service is the benefits it can provide. Below, we’ll address some of the key advantages you can gain from a routine HVAC duct sealing service.
Reduced Energy Bills
One of the most significant benefits of professional duct sealing services is that they optimize the performance of your HVAC system. After the technician completes the process, you can rest assured that all the hot or cold air your HVAC system produces enters the rooms in your home, rather than escaping through leaks.
After sealing, when all the treated air reaches your rooms, your HVAC system can help your home maintain the desired temperature using less energy. This can result in a reduction in your heating and cooling bills throughout the year.
Better Indoor Air Quality
Another key benefit of ductwork sealing is that it helps improve your indoor air quality. One of the biggest problems with gaps in your ducting, apart from losing treated air, is that negative pressure can pull in dust and other debris from inside your wall and floor cavities. This can lead to a buildup of debris inside your ductwork, ultimately reducing the quality of air in your home when it is blown out of the air vents and into a room.
This can exacerbate your allergy and asthma symptoms and lead to other health issues. When you get professional duct sealing, a technician won’t only remove all the unwanted debris from inside your ductwork, but they’ll also eliminate all the air leaks, ensuring that no dust or debris gets pulled into the inside of your ducting.
Enhanced Comfort
While reducing your energy bills and boosting your indoor air quality are great advantages, one benefit of duct sealing that can have the biggest impact is the increase in your comfort level. Your HVAC system will no longer have to struggle to maintain your home at your desired temperature. You can rest assured that you’ll remain comfortable throughout the worst of the winter and summer seasons.
Longer HVAC Lifespan
Duct sealing can have a trickle-down effect on the longevity of your heating or cooling unit. When your unit can run efficiently without having to work harder to compensate for gaps in your ducting, it will have a longer lifespan. Even better, you’ll be less likely to experience a system breakdown than if your system were to be constantly overworking to counterbalance the air loss in your ductwork.
Better Moisture Control
One of the most significant underlying hazards of having leaks in your ductwork during the colder winter season is that it can foster the growth of toxic mold and mildew. When the hot air from your heating system travels through your ductwork and escapes into cold, empty spaces, it will create condensation.
This condensation can create an ideal environment for unwanted mold and mildew on the inside of your walls and flooring. This growth is not only toxic to your health but can also prematurely deteriorate your home’s building materials, like your insulation and wood framing. If left unchecked, this can decrease the structural integrity of your home.
Quieter System Operation
One lesser-known problem that leaky ductwork produces is the production of unpleasant operational noises. As air escapes into vacant cavities, you may hear a variety of different noises coming from your ducting. Some of the most notable are rattling, whistling, and even popping. This can be extremely frustrating while trying to relax at home. Fortunately, a duct service can seal up those leaks to make your system even quieter.
Why Pre-Winter Is the Ideal Time for Duct Sealing
There’s no doubt that one of the biggest expenses for your home throughout the year is your heating bills. While it’s possible to go without air conditioning to help reduce your costs, the same can’t be said about heating. You need to have warm air in your home to keep your water lines from freezing and to keep your family safe and healthy.
The ideal time of the year for professional duct sealing service is in the early fall. This will ensure that your ducts are in great condition heading into the winter season and optimize your energy savings. Even better, most HVAC companies have more flexibility in their scheduling during this off-season, which can’t be said about the on-peak winter season, where scheduling is more challenging. It’s also easier to get sealing service when the weather is mild, since you won’t be able to run your HVAC unit during the service.
Homes without air ducts and who use a ductless mini-split system, can still benefit from routine maintenance and tune-ups from Air Care Heating & Cooling.
Air Care Heating & Cooling offers reliable HVAC repair, maintenance, and installation services for all brands in the Shawnee, KS area. We also provide 24/7 emergency service in the event your equipment fails at an inopportune time. Call our office today to book your next service consultation!
