Is your Bloomfield Hills home heating unevenly and uncomfortably from room to room? Are your Farmington heating bills uncomfortably high from month to month? These are two common signs of aging ductwork systems that many homeowners must contend with through the Southeast Michigan winter. If you would like to boost comfort and lower your heating bills, follow these signs to the right solutions:
Aging Ductwork: Telltale Signs
The home’s ductwork system is a vital element of the forced-air heating system, which bears the task of channeling heated air from the furnace to the living spaces via air ducts. When ducts are properly installed and well-maintained, home heating is comfortable and efficient. However, in many cases, air ducts are installed to meet a design budget rather than home comfort and energy budget, and these systems may age ahead of their time.
If you are experiencing any of the following symptoms in your air ducts, it may be time for some TLC:
- Hot and cold spots – Hot and cold spots may occur, especially at distant outlets, due to energy losses through uninsulated duct walls.
- Airflow – Significant air pressure differences at supply outlets are a sign of leakage or disconnected duct seams.
- Noise – Loose ducts often rattle and clamor at seams, connections, supply outlets and return grills.
Look Behind the Scenes
Duct systems are often located out of sight in attics, basements and crawl spaces. That’s where the visual inspection should start.
- Fallen ducts are easy enough to spot, and are actually quite common in aging systems that were improperly installed. Fallen air ducts should be fastened together with mastic sealant and metal tape.
- Leaky ducts may be spotted by radiated dust around seams, or by spotted insulation. Leaks should be sealed with mastic and metal tape.
- Loose duct connections at supply outlets and return grills may be mechanically secured with joint collars, in addition to metal tape, to ensure a lasting connection.
- Once your ducts are sealed and tight, you should install insulation to ductwork in unconditioned spaces.
For more ductwork repair tips, contact Aladdin Heating & Cooling today.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Warren, Michigan 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.
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