The weather might be just perfect right now—there’s nothing quite like autumn in Georgia—but there’s something you need to remember. It won’t be long before winter arrives, with low temperatures and chill breezes! You’ll want to cozy up indoors. But the more time you spend inside, the more likely you are to be affected by your poor indoor air quality.
During the winter, you’ll be breathing whatever comes out of your vents as your heating system runs to keep you warm enough. The air will cycle back through, flow through your ducts, and come out your vents again. What can you do to have fewer contaminants in your indoor air this winter? It’s time to think about those ducts, and whether they need any repair.
Duct Damage
Ducts are absolutely essential to the central air conditioning and forced-air heating that most homes in our area have. But it’s surprisingly easy for them to be in poor condition without you noticing. They’re often tucked in hard-to-see spaces, so if something is wrong, you would have to make a real effort to get a look at it.
And things can and do go wrong a lot! Amateur or DIY installation can lead to ducts without enough support shaking from the vibrations of the heater and AC, and coming loose or disconnected. Home repairs or renovations can lead to nails or screws puncturing ducts through a wall. Even the passage of time can lead to deterioration and cracked or torn ducts.
Ducts and Efficiency
In the average American home, there’s enough damage to the ductwork to allow 30% of the heated and cooled air to blow out of the leaks instead of flowing to your vents! That’s a huge loss, and it means that without any duct inspection or repair, you’re going to be spending far more than you should on your utility bills. Heating and cooling use a lot of energy.
Ducts and Air Quality
Everything that goes through your ducts will blow out of your vents and end up in your lungs. Now, some amount of dust is perfectly normal. But think about the spaces your ducts pass through behind your walls. If you had to go into that space, you’d want to wear a mask or respirator! It’s full of sawdust, mouse nests, insulation fibers, and more.
If your ducts are damaged, you’re not only allowing the heated or cooled air to get out. The way your HVAC system works, there is pressure pulling air along the ducts. That means air will also get sucked into any cracks or holes. And with that air will come all of those contaminants!
Duct Repair
Luckily, most duct damage is pretty simple to repair. But you can’t just use duct tape! The rapid heating and cooling, expanding and contracting of ducts makes it so the adhesive on duct tape dries out and comes loose very quickly. HVAC professionals use sealants that are designed to be temperature-resistant and flexible, so this is a job for the pros.
Once your ducts are repaired and sealed, you won’t have to worry about dusty, dirty air sneaking into your home anymore. If you have any further questions about duct repair in Lawrenceville, GA, we’d love to chat with you.
Reach out to Wall Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc. with any inquiries or to make an appointment.