HVAC Duct Sealing
In houses with forced-air heating and cooling
systems, ducts are used to distribute conditioned air throughout
the house. In a typical house, however, about 20% of the air
that moves through the duct system is lost due to leaks, holes,
and poorly connected ducts. The result is higher utility bills
and difficulty keeping the house comfortable, no matter how the
thermostat is set.
Sealing your home's ducts with
mastic, metal tape or spray-on sealant, and balancing the duct
system to optimize air flow to all rooms will help improve your
comfort and energy efficiency significantly. Insulating ductwork
in attics, crawlspaces, and some basements can also help to
ensure that your home will be more comfortable.
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Click the diagram to
view common
duct system problems |
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Common Problems
How do you know that your home has
poorly performing ducts?
You may have duct problems if:
- you have high summer and winter
utility bills;
- you have rooms that are difficult
to heat and cool;
- you have stuffy rooms that never
seem to feel comfortable;
- your ducts are located in an attic,
crawlspace, or the garage;
- you find tangled or kinked flexible
ducts in your system.
Click the diagram on the right and see a bigger
picture of common problems in a home's HVAC duct system.
Benefits of A Well
Designed Duct System
Comfort
Sealing and insulating ducts can help with common comfort
problems, such as rooms that are too hot in the summer or too
cold in the winter.
Indoor Air Quality
Fumes from household and garden chemicals, insulation particles,
and dust can enter your duct system, aggravating asthma and
allergy problems. Sealing ducts can help improve indoor air
quality by reducing the risk of pollutants entering ducts and
circulating through your home.
Safety
During normal operation, gas appliances such as water heaters,
clothes dryers, and furnaces release combustion gases (like
carbon monoxide) through their ventilation systems. Leaky
ductwork in your heating and cooling system may cause "backdrafting,"
where these gases are drawn back into the living space, rather
than expelled to the outdoors. Sealing leaks can minimize this
risk.
Save Money
Leaky ducts can reduce heating and cooling system efficiency by
as much as 20 percent. Sealing and insulating ducts increases
efficiency, lowers your energy bills, and can often pay for
itself in energy savings. Plus, if you're planning to install
new heating and cooling equipment, a well-designed and sealed
duct system may allow you to downsize to a smaller, less costly
heating and cooling system that will provide better
dehumidification.
Protect the Environment
Energy used in our homes often comes from the burning of fossil
fuels at power plants, which contributes to smog, acid rain, and
global warming. Simply put, the less energy we use in our homes,
the less air pollution we generate. By sealing your ducts and
reducing the amount of energy necessary to comfortably heat or
cool your home, you can reduce the amount of air pollution
generated.
