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Greenleaf Heating & Cooling Blog

Have Your Ducts Sealed Before the Cold Season

duct-sealing-in-atticHere in Southern California, we have a little more time before we start turning on our heaters. And even then, we’ll only be using it at night! Regardless, the fact remains that your heater hasn’t been used in nearly half a year. A maintenance call is a great place to start, but there’s one aspect of the HVAC system that homeowners forget year after year after year.

We’re referring to the duct system. That’s right, the series of vents that run through your attic or crawlspace and deliver heated air to the home. There’s no better time than the start of a new season to make sure your system is in tip-top shape, and duct sealing is a great place to start.

Why Seal Them Now?

We’re not going to try and tell you that duct sealing in Whittier, CA is something you have to do every season, or even every year. However, chances are, you’ve gone several years without having your ducts checked at all. That’s plenty of time for sealants in your ducts to loosen up. Or, it could be the case that pests or general wear and tear have created rips and tears in the duct material.

What’s the Big Deal?

Leaking ducts are the silent killer of your efficiency attempts. Even if you’re running a strict heating/cooling schedule, have your AC running smoothly, and are dedicated to all the best efficiency tips, duct leaks will sabotage your efforts every time.

Since the ducts are the middleman bringing air from your system and into your home, any leak in the duct will prevent air from entering your rooms. That means the room won’t change temperature as soon as it should, resulting in longer run-time and lost energy. Up to 30% of lost energy, at that.

How Do I Know I Have Them?

To confirm with 100% certainty that you have duct leaks, an HVAC technician can use special tools to perform a duct test. This will test the pressure levels through the entire duct system. Many pieces of ductwork are lodged behind small areas, so you won’t be able to reach them even if you know they’re there.

However, there are a few signs that can tip you off to their presence:

  • Increased Energy Bills: Leaks means lost energy, and lost energy means increased heating bills.
  • Low Airflow: Compare the flow of air from the vents in multiple rooms of the home. You might be able to feel a substantial difference between some of them, indicating a potential leak.
  • No or Slow Heating: Does it feel like your home is taking longer to heat than usual? Now, you might not know how fast your heater should be raising the temperature, but it shouldn’t be taking the entire day to raise a few degrees. IF so, it could be due to a duct leak.

What Do I Do Now?

You won’t be able to do a duct sealing all on your own. Even if you try, you’ll still need the tools of a professional HVAC tech to ensure that every leak has been found and sealed. We recommend calling in a professional.

Got leaks? Contact Greenleaf Heating & Cooling today to schedule a service!

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