Ducts play a critical role in your home’s energy efficiency and in your family’s comfort. Ducts are your heating/cooling system’s transportation system, delivering conditioned air throughout your home or office. Regrettably, wear and tear through the years damages ducts. Ducts may require repair or, even, replacement.
Lisa E. Crosley, President, Lifestyle Comfort Solutions, explains why “out of sight; out of mind” is NOT the way to treat your duct system. According to the US DOE, leaky ducts waste an average of 25 cents for every energy dollar spent. Pay attention to signs that ducts need some TLC.
Uncomfortable Home
Leaky ducts make it harder for your heating/cooling system to heat/cool your home. There are two types of duct leaks:
- Supply duct leak. Supply ducts carry conditioned air from your mechanical unit into the space. When holes or loose joints compromise supply ducts, it takes longer for your home to achieve the temperature you set on your controller (thermostat).
- Return duct leak. Return ducts return air from the space, bringing it back to the mechanical unit to be warmed/cooled/refreshed before being blown out into the space again. When your system can’t pull enough air from your home to warm or cool, it costs you money and robs your comfort.
Feeling hot or cold spots in your home or office? Uneven heating/cooling results from leaking air collecting in one area and failing to reach another space. Comfort is compromised.
System sound noisy when it operates? Leaky ducts may be the cause.
Aging Ducts
Generally, ducts should last between 10-15 years. Holes develop, joints loosen, and other issues develop. Duct Tape is not the answer! In fact, this DIY band-aid makes the problem worse over time. Trust your Lifestyle Comfort Solutions’ professional technicians to perform duct inspection, spotting obvious tears or loose fittings. Moreover, Lifestyle Comfort Solutions’ has the equipment and training to perform a Whole Home Duct Analysis. Thorough, but surprisingly, affordable. Once problems are spotted, air duct sealing is Lifestyle Comfort Solutions’ professional recommendation.
Dust Buildup and Poor Indoor Air Quality
Run your fingers over a surface. Notice dust build-up soon after tidying up your home or office? Air duct leaks may be to blame.
Dust from attics, basements, or crawl-spaces gets sucked into your home and blown around.
Dust is not just a nuisance. Poor indoor air quality aggravates allergies or respiratory issues. Coughing? Wheezing? Sneezing? Leaky ducts may be the culprit.
Improper Install
Not every heating/cooling company offers the level of technical expertise Lifestyle Comfort Solutions provides. HVAC units may be wrongly sized–too big or too small–at time of replacement. Too often, flexible duct is overused and its long duct runs, numerous branches, and sharp bends with sagging, twisted, or crushed ducts restrict air flow. Flex duct is prone to tears, punctures, and over all damage.
For optimal performance, metal duct is the better choice.
Lifestyle Comfort Solutions is an award-winning, family-owned and managed, Dayton heating and cooling company offering years of experience in duct repair and indoor air quality. Our service area includes Dayton and its surrounding communities including Kettering, Centerville, Beavercreek, Springboro, Englewood, Huber Heights, Fairborn, and Bellbrook. To learn more about how Lifestyle Comfort Solutions can serve you, call 937.202.4520 or visit www.lifestylecomfortsolutions.com
