Have a Pro Seal Your Leaky Ducts This Fall

The air ducts are an essential HVAC component that can either drive comfort and efficiency, or, if leaks exist, they can drive you up the wall with high energy bills and an uncomfortable home. To ensure your Mid-Atlantic home is prepared for the heating months ahead, take advantage of the fall season to have your leaky ducts professionally sealed.

Problems Caused By Leaky Ducts

The ductwork system is a collection of square or round tubes that distributes conditioned airflow from the furnace and A/C to the living spaces of your home. This seemingly mundane task actually bears substantial responsibilities:

• Comfort: Ducts are typically installed in the basement, crawl spaces, walls, and/or attic. Duct leaks in these areas means that conditioned airflow isn’t distributed where intended—your living spaces.
• Efficiency: The U.S. Department of Energy states that the average home loses 25 to 40 percent of the energy output from the heating and cooling systems due to duct leaks and poor design.
• Indoor air quality: Duct leaks can suck in contaminants inside walls, the attic, crawl space, and basement and distribute them through your home.
• Load: When you’re losing up to 40 percent energy output, your furnace must work that much harder to keep your home comfortable. That’s a heavy load to bear for any system.
• Back drafting: Duct leaks near fuel-burning appliances, such as a gas furnace, can suck in dangerous fumes and pump them through your home.
• Ice dams: Leaky ducts located in the attic heat the roofing system during the heating months. This can cause ice dams and potential damage to your roof.

A thorough duct inspection using sophisticated tools and subsequent duct sealing by your HVAC pro can prevent all of the problems inherent with leaky ducts. Schedule duct maintenance this fall to enjoy enhanced comfort and lower energy bills all winter long.

At Sobieski Services, Inc., our goal is to help our customers in Delaware, Pennsylvania, Maryland and New Jersey learn more about energy and home comfort issues – especially HVAC and plumbing issues – so that they can save money and live in healthier, more comfortable homes.

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