The ductwork in your Lakeland, FL, home is an important part of your HVAC system. This ductwork delivers warm and cool air to the various living spaces in your residence. Not only does your ductwork allow you to maintain a comfortable indoor temperature, but it also helps protect the quality of your indoor air. There are several common issues that can occur with your ductwork. It’s important to spot them early to avoid malfunctioning equipment and a shortened equipment lifespan.
Common Ductwork Problems
Over time, your ductwork can develop cracks, gaps, holes, and other damage. This can occur just because of normal wear and tear. At other times, something may have banged into your ducting, you may be dealing with a pest infestation, or water damage may have caused corrosion.
Whatever the cause, it’s important to have your ductwork inspected and repaired by a professional as soon as you notice a problem. Your ductwork should be a sealed system that allows conditioned air to move where it needs to go. If you’re experiencing loss of air from duct damage, more particulates will be able to invade your indoor air, your ducts will become dirty, your heating and cooling equipment can experience issues, and much more.
Dirty Surfaces in Your Home
If you’ve noticed that the surfaces in your home seem to be getting dusty and dirty in a short amount of time, there may be damage to your ductwork. That damage is allowing more particulates to circulate in your home. Not only will your home appear to be getting dirty faster, but you may experience an increase in allergy symptoms like sneezing and coughing.
You can have this issue resolved by scheduling a professional ductwork inspection. Any damage can be repaired using materials like mastic tape or sealants. You can have your ductwork sealed from the inside as well, creating a very secure system for air to travel through.
A Rise in Energy Bills
If you’ve been noticing that your heating and cooling expenses have been creeping up, it may not be your furnace or air conditioner that’s to blame. Rather, your ductwork may be damaged, allowing conditioned air to escape. When this happens, your heating and cooling equipment will need to run more frequently to keep up with your household demand. This can raise your utility bills substantially, not to mention that it places additional strain on your heating and cooling equipment. You may notice that your equipment needs more frequent repairs or must be replaced sooner than you might have expected.
Uneven Temperatures Throughout Your Home
The air inside your home should feel consistent from one room to another. If you have a lot of hot or cold spots in your living space, the problem may be leaky ductwork that allows conditioned air to escape before it has a chance to make its way into the rooms where you want it to go. You may find that you’re running your heating or cooling equipment more frequently as you try to promote a comfortable indoor environment.
Poor Indoor Air Quality
As mentioned, poor indoor air quality can cause an increase in allergy symptoms. However, there are other symptoms that people commonly experience when they are exposed to particulate matter at high concentrations. How you feel will be based on the specific contaminants in your ductwork and air. For example, common culprits are pet dander, mold spores, pollen, dust, dust mites, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs).
If you notice that you’ve been feeling unwell lately, it’s a good idea to have your ductwork inspected and repaired and consider filtration in your home. Your furnace has a filter that removes particulates before air enters your ducts. This protects your indoor air quality as well as the integrity of your ductwork. Whole-house filtration will remove more particulate matter. In some cases, it can remove as much as 99.97% of the particulates in your home. This reduces the burden on your HVAC system, protects the integrity of your ductwork, and can lengthen the time between needing duct cleanings.
Discovering Mold
While mold comes from moisture somewhere in your home, you may find that damaged ductwork is allowing mold to quickly spread throughout your living space. If you have found a roof leak in one area of your home and mold is present, mold in other areas of the home indicates that it’s also in your HVAC system. The more gaps, cracks, and damage that are present in your ducting, the more likely it is that mold will be able to quickly spread. This is dangerous to you and everyone who lives with you, as mold can cause respiratory issues, fatigue, nausea, and more. You’ll need to have the mold remediated from your entire home, including your ductwork.
What Is Ductwork Sealing?
Ductwork sealing provides a very secure seal throughout your entire ducting system. This includes the ducts, joints, and seams of the system. The benefits of having your ducts sealed include better indoor air quality, better HVAC system efficiency, lower energy bills, and fewer repairs.
You can have your ducts sealed in a few ways. One affordable method is using foil tape along areas that have damage or are prone to damage. This is an efficient option if only small areas of your ducting need to be addressed.
Duct sealants can be applied using a brush. This material cures quickly, creating an airtight seal. Usually, this material is used along joints to prevent air loss.
Spray sealants can be applied to the interior of your ductwork. This is an option if you need to cover much larger areas of ductwork.
Considering Ductwork Insulation
Once you confirm that your ductwork is properly sealed and airtight, you may want to consider having your ducts insulated. Adding insulation around your ducts keeps air passing through this system at a consistent temperature. You will notice an improvement in indoor comfort as well as system efficiency.
Ductwork insulation includes fiberglass batting that can be cut and fitted around your ducts. This is a very affordable option. You can also select spray foam insulation, which fills in all the various crevices around your ducts. It’s resistant to moisture and mold and boasts a high efficiency rating. Other options include duct wrap, duct liner, and polyethylene foam.
Snowbird Heating & Cooling in Lakeland is available to help you protect and maintain your home’s ductwork system. In addition to duct cleaning and sealing, we can talk to you about installing whole-house air purification equipment if you’re looking to achieve healthier indoor air quality. We also install new heating systems and cooling equipment and perform necessary repairs. Routine maintenance is another service that we can provide. We offer plumbing services as well, such as tankless and tank-based water heater systems, repiping, water treatment assistance, and renovation services.
Contact us at Snowbird Heating & Cooling in Lakeland today to schedule an appointment with our knowledgeable team.
