To get the most out of your HVAC system, you must make sure that your duct system is properly installed, sealed and insulated, and is working as efficiently as possible. With that in mind, here are four giveaway signs that your duct system needs attention:
- Blind-alley ducts: Every once in a while, a mistake in the initial ductwork installation will result in a blind-alley duct. This refers to a duct that leads either to the outside of the house, or to nowhere. This results in the room containing the corresponding register being warmer or colder than the other rooms in your home.
- Damaged ducts: Damages can include tears, holes or gaps that are caused by the separation of duct joints from one another. These damages cause the loss of air through your ducts, resulting in your HVAC system wasting energy to make up for it.
- No return-side ductwork: If your furnace is located in an unconditioned space such as in a basement, and your house has been designed with no return-side ductwork, your furnace will have to use more energy to warm up the surrounding air it before delivering it into your home.
- Uninsulated ducts: Do your ducts run through an uninsulated area, such as your attic? If they do, it means that you are probably losing a large amount of energy through conductive heat loss. Insulating your ducts will nullify this problem. However, insulating any ducts that run through your basement will cause your basement to grow colder. In a case such as this, you may want to insulate the basement walls instead.
If you have any of these problems, then your duct system needs attention. Schedule an inspection with Around the Clock Air Conditioning & Heating. We serve the greater Los Angeles area.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Los Angeles, North Hollywood and surrounding areas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about duct systems and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
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