The ductwork in your business or home is located within the inside walls, the ceiling, and sometimes under the floor, which makes it easy to forget about them and take them for granted. Even though this can be a case of out-of-sight, out-of-mind, if you do not take proper care of your ductwork, they may not function at their best. For example, are your power bills abnormally high in the winter or summer? Do certain rooms in your office or home seem to be more challenging to keep cool or warm? Maybe you have one room that seems to stay stuffy no matter how much you run the HVAC system. Thankfully, the proper ductwork can vastly improve your HVAC system’s efficiency. It is the best idea to contact professionals to evaluate the ductwork at your business or in your home and make the necessary repairs. Depending on how long it has been since the last time you had service or maintenance on your HVAC system, you might consider making an appointment to have your system inspected and have any repairs completed.
Where Are Ducts Located?
Many times ductwork is installed in places that are difficult to get to, like in the attic, crawlspace, or garage. When there is not a good view of your ductwork, it is possible that it may be tangled up, damaged by animals, or have kinks. Having a professional come out to inspect will help to find out if you have any problems.
Is Everything Properly Sealed?
Professionals have both the knowledge and experience to properly size your ducts to make sure they will work well with your HVAC system. If an inspection of your ductwork shows it is not properly functioning, a professional can handle the problem by finding and replacing sections that have deteriorated beyond repair or by sealing any air leaks. When the system ages, joints that connect the ducts may become loose. The vents can also become punctured or torn, and they can become loose from the return and supply registers. A professional can replace or repair any damaged ducts and repair any connections that are broken.
Insulation Improves Efficiency
If your ductwork travels through places that are not conditioned, like the garage or the basement, the system can lose heat in the winter and dissipate cool air in the summer. Because the system fails energy from ducts that are not insulated, the system will tend to run more often and for a longer time. Wasting money and power is inefficient, and it puts unnecessary wear on the HVAC system trying to keep the room at a comfortable temperature. According to the US government’s Energy Star guidelines, if you seal the ductwork and then insulate it, you will improve the efficiency of the system by more than 20%.
Keep Your Ducts Clean
Keeping your ductwork clean is also important, so schedule a cleaning service when you find that your ducts have collected dust and debris. The cleaner the chimneys, the more efficient they will be at heating and cooling, plus it will also help reduce allergic reactions to keep your family and/or employees healthier.
Was the Equipment Properly Sized?
A trained HVAC professional will calculate the correct size your system needs; having the most extensive system is not always the best option. When you overload the ductwork, it will not work as efficiently, which will end up costing you more money on your power bill. For additional information about ways proper ductwork will help an HVAC system work better, set up an appointment with your local HVAC professional today.