Duct Returns Must Optimize The Flow Of Air: How Well Do Yours Perform
Inadequate or poorly designed return air ducts can limit airflow to your heating system, negatively impacting indoor air pressure, energy efficiency and comfort. To understand the importance of duct returns, you first need to understand the basics of how your heating system works.
Heated air from your furnace is distributed throughout your home via supply air ducts. At the same time, return air ducts remove air from inside the individual rooms of your home and return it to the furnace where it can be heated again. Working together, the supply and return ducts circulate air throughout your home, ensuring that it is evenly heated.
If your return ducts are poorly designed or incorrectly sized, it can lead to a number of problems. For one thing, it can create negative pressure inside your home. This can cause outdoor air to be sucked in through cracks and openings in the exterior of your home, reducing energy efficiency as a result. Not only that, but it can also cause back drafting, a condition where combustion gases such as carbon monoxide are drawn back into your home, creating a potentially deadly situation.
Additionally, inadequate duct returns can limit airflow to your heating system, forcing the blower to work harder. This not only decreases energy efficiency, but also puts undue strain on your furnace, potentially leading to frequent breakdowns or shorter equipment life.
Finally, without adequate air circulation, certain rooms of your home can be difficult to heat or cool, reducing comfort as a result.
The best way to ensure that your duct system is working correctly is to hire an HVAC specialist to test and inspect it. Using specialized equipment, they can test airflow to your system and make sure that everything is working the way it should be. If not, they can make recommendations for upgrades such as adding transfer grilles to certain rooms or resizing your existing return ducts.
Contact us at Sobieski Services for all of your plumbing, heating, and air conditioning needs.
If you’re concerned about your ductwork, contact us at Sobieski Services for professional guidance on ductwork design and designing your HVAC system for optimal comfort and efficiency.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Delaware, Pennsylvania, Maryland and New Jersey about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC & plumbing systems).
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