Leaky Ductwork Creates Higher Utility Bills
And More Health Problems
In the average US home around 20-25% of the conditioned air escapes through leaks in ductwork before it can be pushed through your vents to cool or heat the rooms in your home. Your air conditioning ductwork is a significant part of the efficiency of your home HVAC system.
Ducts are flexible insulated ducts or insulated pipes that transport air throughout your house and help control the contaminants that impact your indoor air quality (IAQ).
Ductwork that has holes, leaks or that have not been properly connected will cost you money in higher energy bills and negatively affect the amount of allergens, dust, bacteria and other contaminants that circulate throughout your home.
Leaky Ductwork symptoms:
- Stuffy rooms
- Slow cooling or heating of rooms
- High utility bills
- High level of dust, air filter gets dirty quickly
- No insulation on visible ducts
- Temperature spotting – some rooms are colder or warmer than others
- Increase in headaches or allergic reactions in home residents
When duct leakage is around 20% of total airflow the efficiency of your cooling system can drop by as much as 50%. Duct leakage lowers cooling and heating capacity making your system work harder and reducing equipment life.
Clean, well-sealed ductwork will improve the performance of your HVAC system’s efficiency. Duct tape is not a viable solution for sealing ductwork. Ask your air conditioning and heating professional about the special metal backed tapes or duct sealants used to maintain or repair the integrity of your duct system. These special tapes are far superior to duct tape in that they are fire-resistant and provide a long lasting adhesive for sealing your ducts.
For sealing duct connections you will want to use materials that have been proven to be effective, such as:
- Mastic, which is a highly effective sticky adhesive that dries to a soft solid
- Aerosol sealant is a gluey vinyl polymer that is applied to leaks from the inside of the duct. The sealant is applied by pumping aerosolized sealant into a pressurized duct system. Aerosol sealant needs to be professionally installed.
- Foil Tape has metal foil backing and an acrylic adhesive (tapes and Mastics should be UL 181 approved)
Leaky ducts let moisture, dust, pests, pollen and noise into your home. Duct sealing will increased comfort, reduce utility bills, provide cleaner indoor air quality and help reduce potential health problems. If your ductwork has sufficient damage or significant degradation of materials has occurred replacing the ductwork may be your best solution.
Best Practice for Building Performance: Reduce energy bills and prevent health issues by making sure your AC ducts are properly sealed or replaced when needed.
Tags: ac, air conditioner, air conditioning, duct work, ductwork, leaky ducts, seal ducts
