Have Your Ductwork Checked if You Suspect These Problems

The effective length of all supply and return ductwork in the average home can exceed 300 feet. Yet, most of it’s out of sight in the attic, crawlspaces and inside wall voids. A lot of things can go wrong in hidden places, and it seems many do: Studies show residential ductwork typically leaks at least 20 percent of the cooled and heated air that it’s designed to convey, and losses in many houses exceed 40 percent. Ducts can frequently be the fatal weak link in your strategy for maximum energy-efficiency and comfort, so it’s important to be alert to these potential problems:

Supply side leakage. Supply ducts convey air under positive pressure. Supply leaks waste energy and decrease interior comfort by spilling conditioned air into the attic, underneath the home or inside walls. Supply leaks also depressurize a house, increasing the potential for dangerous backdrafting of gas appliances.

Return leakage. Return ducts operate under slightly negative pressure so leaks may pull contaminated air into the system from locations such as the crawl space or other unconditioned zones. In addition, return leakage tends to pressurize rooms, forcing cooled or heated air out of the house through cracks and gaps.

Collapsed flex ducts. Flexible ductwork made to bend around obstructions is more likely to deform or collapse over time than rigid ducts. Flex ducts are usually installed in inaccessible places, so you may be unaware this is happening.

Clogged filter. All air in your home passes through the filter at least five times each day. If it’s clogged with dirt, airflow is reduced and energy-efficiency, performance and air quality decline dramatically.

Obstructed return air. In homes that utilize a single central return grille in a hallway, if the air path between the supply and the return is blocked due to closed doors or other obstructions, air balance is disrupted and cooling/heating performance suffers.

Family-owned for more than 34 years, Energy 1 Heating & Air Conditioning is the established source for quality HVAC sales and service in Lorain, Erie and Cuyahoga counties. Contact us for a professional inspection if you suspect ductwork problems in your home.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Lorain, Ohio 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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