What Causes Air Leaks in Your Ductwork?

Regardless of how low you’ve set your home thermostat, does your house never seem to cool down? However, whenever you get your monthly charges, the bills may be significantly exorbitant. In such a situation, you should know that leakages in your ducting prevent the air you pay for from getting to you; this page will discuss all you need to know regarding ductwork leakages, including what triggers them and what you can do to repair them.

What Exactly Are Air Leaks?

Tiny holes and fractures can occur in the ventilation ducts at your home over some period. Such openings allow air to escape. Worse still, these holes continue to widen if they are not repaired, which can lead to severe problems in your property and cooling systems.

How Will You Know If Your Air Ducts Are Leaking?

There are several signs that you can use to tell if your air ducts have a leakage. Some typical AC difficulties that indicate issues with the air ducts include:

  • Excessive Utility Costs

Increased utility costs are probably the most evident indications of air duct leakages. Since air ducts convey chilled air, part of the air supplied leaves before reaching the regions that require it the most when there’s a leakage. Consequently, your air conditioner must work more for the cooling of your house. This additional labor strains your ac unit, which implies that it will require more power to be operational, resulting in expensive energy costs.

  • You’re Cleaning More Than Before

Whenever you brush your hand on top of surfaces and come across lots of dust, your home air ducts may be faulty. Dust that builds up in your cellar or attic can be drawn in by leaking ductwork and disperses across the house. While dirt isn’t inherently hazardous, it may have a long-term detrimental impact on the air quality in your home, making it risky for people with respiratory problems or allergies.

  • Cold And Hot Spots At Your Home

Cold and hot spots in your house are a symptom of air duct leakages. Besides, uneven cooling can be caused by the accumulation of leaky air in a single location, preventing other regions from receiving air that is conditioned. As a result, it can make your house seem stuffy and put a burden on the HVAC system. In case it’s not attended to, it can shorten the life cycle of that system.

  • Air Quality Issues And Clogged Filters

Your home air filters help in preventing pollution entry into your house. Whenever you’re experiencing duct leakages, your filters quickly become dusty and blocked. Further,  when you have leakages, your home will constantly be dusty. As such, dirt and other air contaminants will be drawn in and spread throughout your house via the holes, and you’ll notice the difference in the quality of the air you inhale.

What Could Be Causing Your Ductwork Leakages?

Several factors can result in ductwork leakages at your residence. The following are the most common reasons:

  • The Age Of Your Duct Work

The older your ducting is, the wearier it gets and becomes susceptible to leakages. As time progresses, sealing materials like Caulk can split, allowing air to leave. When your ducting moves from its position, significant leakages can develop. In case you’re often patching leaks on the existing ducting, it’s time that you replaced it with a new one.

  • Closing Vents

Whenever you shut the home air vents, it traps air within the ducting. In turn, your  AC is oblivious to the fact it has closed in the air, thus keeps sending air towards that direction. The force that air accumulates until your ducting develops fractures or perforations. It would be helpful if you didn’t turn off the vents over lengthy durations to take care of this issue.

  • Damage Caused By Rodents

Rodents may make their way into your ducting and gnaw it apart. Ensure you get rid of pests causing problems on your property.

How To Find Leakages In The Ductwork

It would be helpful if you engaged the help of expert HVAC teams to assist you in locating the causes of leakages and make required adjustments for your unit to function correctly and last a long time.

Aside from that, it’s critical to have yearly maintenance as an efficient means of finding and repairing your air duct leakages. Any leaks found by your HVAC specialist will be checked and sealed. Ensure that you always go with reputable firms that have extensive experience and good reviews.