You may have often been stuck in a situation where one of your room isn’t comfortable or is too dry. While for some this may be a small problem, for some, it can be a constant problem. If this is happening in your house, it is a clear indicator that the duct system in your house isn’t sealed properly. Most of the homeowners do not realize the importance of sealed duct until it causes too many problems. Ducts are an important part of the HVAC system helping in improving the comfort and efficiency of the house. Don’t let an unsealed duct cause you money & discomfort. Call 1st Class Heat & Air Today 972-673-0408.

What is an unsealed HVAC duct?

The ducts of the air conditioning and heating system are very much similar to that of the arteries in our body. The ducts are spread all across the HVAC system. It may also happen that the air which flows into your house through the ducts may escape through attics. This is usually dependent on the place where the ducts are placed. Another major reason for this would be the leaking ducts due to improper dealing. These unsealed ducts not only cause excessive trouble but they also increase the bills. It is extremely necessary to call out a professional who can seal the ducts properly. Moreover, if the duct is being placed in a garage or near the attic sealing is the most important thing to consider.

What are the main reasons for a leaking duct?

Often people have wondered the major reason behind the leaking ducts. Well, some of the prominent reasons for a leaking duct include the following

Bad weather conditions
Excessive use of the ducts can lead to them being torn
If these ducts are not of the right size and not properly installed, it can cause a lot of major problems
The damage caused by insects and rodents is one of the major reasons for the leaking duct.

What are the disadvantages of a leaking HVAC duct?

There are several disadvantages to a leaking duct. Some of the prominent ones include

1. Excessive waste of energy

Duct leakage often leads to a sufficient amount of energy being wasted. If the ducts are sealed properly, there wouldn’t be any loss of energy. The unsealed ducts can cause energy leakage in many ways

Conduction- The poorly insulated or unsealed ducts can lead to the cold air in the ducts being transformed into hot air. This can further prove to be problematic as the air would take longer than usual to cool down.

Leaky supply ducts- While the supply ducts are leaked, the return ones are sealed properly. Since the air does not flow into the room properly, it can cause energy loss and also when the system needs to put in more energy to heat the room.

Air leakage- The unsealed ducts are one of the major reasons for air leakage. These ducts allow the air to flow out from them into the attic rather than being transferred to your house.

Leaky return ducts- The pressure in return ducts is more than the outside. Hence the air is pulled in depending on the season. In the case of leaky return ducts, there is a fluctuation in the system, and the supply ducts cannot offer a sufficient amount of energy. The improper balance maintained in them causes further problems.

2. Excessive dirty air

The main functions of the air ducts are to throw the dirty air and pull in the clean air. However, if your duct isn’t sealed properly, the function may reverse, and all the unconditioned and dirty air will be pulled in. This can further lead to health problems due to the intrusion of polluted air in the house. It can bring with it dangerous microbes which can cause respiratory and lung diseases. Dirty air can also reduce the shelf life of the HVAC system.

Some of the other causes for the duct leakage include the following:

The fluctuation of temperature in the house
Increased utilization during summer and winter season
The increased utilization and pressure on the duct
Decreased life of the HVAC system
The increase in the stuffiness of the room

How to seal an HVAC duct?

It is often impossible to repair the leaking ducts as they are placed in odd locations. However, there is always a way out to your problem. You should begin by inspecting the situation and intensity of the duct leakage. If the duct leakage area is small, you should prefer fixing it on your own. However, if the leakage area is big, you should prefer calling a reliable professional.

Why is it necessary to have sealed ducts?

Sealed ducts are known to serve a lot of benefits as mentioned below

Improved system performance

The sealed ducts do not put excessive pressure on the system. This further proves to be efficient as the chance of wearing and tearing reduces in this case. With sealed ducts, the system would function efficiently thereby ensuring proper heating and cooling.

Improved air quality

As mentioned above, the unsealed duct pulls in polluted air in the house. The dirty air will contain a lot of harmful bacteria and microbes which can further prove to be damaging for health. If you are breathing contaminated air, you are sure to suffer from ill-health. The sealed ducts would ensure that there are no chances of pulling in the contaminated air. Moreover, it will ensure that you do not have to spend unnecessarily on the increasing bills.

Reduced electricity bills

The sealed ducts will ensure a better and smooth performance of the system. This will further beneficial as there won’t be any extra pressure on the system. The smooth functioning will ensure lesser pressure for performance. As a result, since it will heat or cool in a short time, it will consume less energy, and eventually, you will need to pay lower electricity bills. Therefore, the sealed ducts would be extremely pocket-friendly.

Even if your ducts aren’t damaged, smaller leaks can prove to be an increasing problem. This can, however, cause some serious issues from health to finance. To prevent these from happening, you should ensure that the duct is sealed properly during the installation itself.

For fast, reliable AC & Heating repair, service, installation, or sales, contact the professionals at 1^st Class Heat & Air. We offer after-hours AC repair and can provide help for AC compressor failure seven days per week. Call us today at 972-673-0408 .