The ductwork in your home may be a throwback to an era when low construction costs, not energy efficiency, was the builder’s prime consideration. Ductwork and equipment may have been installed with a “one size fits all” approach instead of properly matching all components according to the duct’s capacity and your home’s cooling and heating load.
Today, years later, you could be paying a high price for compromises made during a bygone era of lower utility costs. Studies show that the efficiency of existing ductwork in your home may be as low as 65 percent. That means over a third of the money you’re spending for cooled or heated air is wasted.
A great deal of duct dysfunction can be hidden in the attic and wall-spaces. It takes an inspection by a trained HVAC technician to fully evaluate the status quo. However, here are a few signs that may mean the ductwork in your home needs attention:
- Ductwork routed through unconditioned zones of acute temperatures should be insulated. Thermal losses of over 20 percent can occur in areas like a hot attic, where temperatures may exceed 150 degrees. If you see bare metal ducts in the attic, basement or crawl spaces, it should be wrapped in duct insulation rated R-6.
- If you notice flexible ductwork that is torn or crushed, particularly in storage areas like attics, have the system inspected.
- Segments of hard metal ductwork may work loose over time, sometimes disconnecting entirely and spilling conditioned air into an attic or inside walls.
- A cost-cutting measure of past construction methods was to seal structural channels in the home — such as the space between studs inside wall voids or between ceiling joists — and utilize that channel as a substitute return duct instead of installing suitable metal ductwork. This method may leak conditioned air. Leaks may also suck contaminated air into the ducts and disperse it through the home.
Hard work and honesty has been the Aladdin Heating & Cooling philosophy in Ferndale, Berkley, Birmingham and the Metro-Detroit area for more than 65 years. Call us for an inspection of the ductwork in your home and let us show you ways to start saving energy.
Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about ductwork and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
Aladdin Heating services Novi, Farmington, Farmington Hills, Southfield, Oak Park, Ferndale, Beverly Hills, Berkley, Royal Oak, Birmingham, Bloomfield Twp., Bloomfield Hills, West Bloomfield, Madison Heights, Clawson, Sterling Heights, Warren, Troy, St. Clair Shores, Grosse Pointe, Grosse Pointe Woods, Grosse Pointe Farms, Grosse Pointe Park, Detroit, Utica, Shelby Twp., Rochester, Rochester Hills, Auburn Hills, Lake Orion, Oxford, and Clarkston.
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