March 24, 2016
If you use a forced air heating or air conditioning system in your home, then it’s important to focus on maintaining it as well. Spring is the best time for maintenance, especially to test the health of the air ducts and vents.
A tightly sealed air duct is of extreme importance for it to function efficiently. The moment you see tiny cracks or if there are any signs of air leakage, you have to schedule a duct testing immediately. If you see sudden spikes in the electric bill, it might be due to air loss through a leaky duct. If you observe a change in the indoor air quality, it could be because your ducts are distributing pollutants throughout the home due to leaks. Even if you don’t experience these issues, you should schedule duct testing every few years to ensure its proper functioning.
The technicians will begin the air duct testing by sealing off all the vents and registers in the forced air distribution system. Then, all the air ducts will be pressurized and the pressure level will be documented. If there is any disparity between the added pressures to that maintain within, it is likely that leaks are present in the duct. Once the tears and leaks are discovered, resolutions can be taken accordingly.
HVAC system consists of a furnace, air conditioner or heat pump that creates cool or warm air. A powerful fan then blows this air throughout the house through a network of ducts. Supply ducts are responsible for taking the conditioned air from HVAC system to different rooms; the return ducts, on the other hand, draw the used air back into the HVAC system for it to be cooled or heated again. If these series ducts have a crack or leak at any point, you risk losing the conditioned air before it reaches the room or HVAC system.
Wasted energy forces the HVAC system to work harder in order to move air to rooms that need heating or cooling. If the ducts aren’t tight enough, a lot of conditioned air will be lost mid-way and the rooms won’t be as cool or warm as desired. The negative air pressure created will suck in dirty air from the cracks and leaks, which gets mixed with the conditioned air and gets circulated through the house. Thus, it is important to address any leaky ducts and maintain tight ducts at all times.
Maintenance of ducts and vents shouldn’t be skipped at any cost. Ensuring their proper functioning before extreme weather sets in is advised. Ideally, fall and spring are great times to carry on the maintenance work.
Conducting this maintenance schedule twice a year, i.e., in spring and fall is recommended. Maintenance is necessary every time you change your air filters, which should be done every 3 months. We offer services for cleaning and maintaining air ducts throughout your house. Contact us today if you are looking for such services, including furnace repair and heating repairs.