Ducts are a vital part of almost every heating and cooling system.
They bring treated air to your rooms and transfer heat and cold out of your house.
No matter whether you have an air conditioner, a furnace, or a full HVAC system, your most likely have ducts.
If you suspect there may be a leak or holes in your ducts, it's important you take action before you experience long-term damage or expensive utility bills.
This guide will explain signs to look out for with your ductwork and some duct sealing methods to fix any potential duct issues.
We've established that ducts play a very important role and that it would be very difficult for your system to run without them. But what if you have air ducts that are covered with leaks?
Leaky ducts can seriously damage your system and cause a variety of issues.
Here are just a few of the potential problems associated with leaky ductwork.
Increased Energy Bills
Flaws in your duct system can very easily lead to increased energy bills.
This is because leaks in ductwork increase energy consumption. Air leaking from your ducts can't be used to heat or cool your house, so your system will use more energy just to get the same results as a working system.
A less energy-efficient system will always lead to a higher energy bill. All the leaks in your ducts can release up to 30% of your heated or cooled air, so you can expect your energy bill to increase by a similar amount.
If you're regularly spending hundreds of dollars on your electricity bills, you'll save money by sealing ductwork.
Less Efficient Heating and Cooling
Air leaking from your ducts will also result in less heating and cooling in your home.
Though your system will work hard to make up for the air lost to leakage, it will not be able to fully heat or cool the rooms of your house.
With air leaks, you can expect to find your rooms less comfortable while also taking longer to heat up or cool down!
Some of this air may escape into other parts of your house, especially the attic and basement levels.
If left unattended, these rooms can develop issues associated with hot or cool air, such as mold growth in warmer environments and dry skin in cooler ones.
Dirty Air
Leaks in your air ducts can lead to serious problems with your indoor air quality.
Air ducts are designed to keep dirty air from entering. However, leaks in your ductwork will let polluted air pass through and get into your system before eventually dispersing it back out.
As your vents deliver heated or conditioned air directly from your system into your home, you may end up breathing in unwanted substances.
This can have serious consequences, such as respiratory issues and skin irritation.
Leaks in your duct system can also damage your system as dirt and dust can get in and wreak havoc. This includes even small leaks, as unwanted substances can be very small, if not microscopic.
Sealing your ductwork can both restore your air quality and prevent your system from further damage.
How to Know if Your Ducts Need to be Sealed
Now that you know some of the potential problems that leaks in your ductwork can cause, you're probably wondering if your air ducts need to be sealed.
Here are some signs that you have some leaking problems:
Signs of Leaky Ductwork
Large to tiny gaps present on the ductwork
Feeling air blowing in places it shouldn't be
Evidence of duct tape or other sealing methods on the ducts
Low indoor air quality
What Kinds of Duct Sealing Methods Are There?
Fortunately, there are solutions available to fix leaky ductwork. These involve sealing the ducts in order to prevent the many problems leaks can cause.
Here are the two major methods used in sealing ductwork, as well as some alternatives.
Duct Tape
The first method is perhaps the most obvious: duct tape.
However, there are a few caveats to using it, so make sure you read on carefully before breaking out the duct tape you have on hand.
The first and most important thing to know is that it's generally not recommended by professionals.
This is because generic duct tape is only a temporary solution for duct sealing and will likely fall off not too long after being applied.
Additionally, it's not energy efficient, so you might still have high utility bills.
If you have to use tape for air duct sealing, you can't use regular duct tape.
Though duct tape can be used for just about anything - be it electrical wires or foil-faced fiberglass insulation - regular kinds of duct tape or metal tape will not be able to seal ductwork as they are incapable of creating an air duct seal and will likely quickly fall off.
Aluminum foil tape is generally the go-to for duct sealing. This kind of tape can form and maintain a duct seal and has been shown to have good durability.
You can also probably find it at your local hardware store. It works well in heat, so applying the tape in warm conditions will help it stick.
A utility knife can be used to cut the foil tape into a long strip that matches the size of your leak. From there, you can systemically seal all the holes with foil tape cut into the proper size.
Mastic Duct Sealant
A more professional solution for duct sealing is using mastic duct sealant.
Mastic sealant is a thick and dependable sealant that can be used directly from the pail.
Applying mastic sealant is much like the process of painting. In fact, you can even do it with a paintbrush and a caulk gun!
Using duct sealant on the paintbrush, you "paint" over the leaks and then leave the duct mastic to harden and take form.
The mastic will securely seal the leak not long afterward, making it ready to use once again.
If you use this method to apply insulation to your ductwork, ensure the surface is clean so that the sealant applies properly.
Additionally, you should wear gloves, face masks, and clothes, so you're not worried about getting dirty, especially if you're not using a water-based solution.
It's worth noting that the mastic method won't allow you to reopen the ducts after they've been sealed.
This is because the duct mastic is firmly stuck on the exterior of the duct and will stay like that for a long time.
If for whatever reason, you need to reopen the duct in the near future, you might need to opt for tape instead.
Alternative Methods
There are some alternative methods that can be used to seal ductwork.
If you're not worried about a cost-effective solution, Aeroseal duct sealant can seal your ducts.
An HVAC contractor will use computer technology to find all the leaks present in your system and will use this information to seal your ductwork.
This can be useful in tracking down hidden leaks and ensuring your duct set-up stays secure.
Another professional method is using liquid rubber sealant. This is blown through your system and will seal leaks as it moves along your entire ductwork system.
Liquid rubber sealant can provide improved results to other methods but may be difficult to access for many homeowners.
These systems, especially Aeroseal, can be cost-prohibitive.
At Air & Energy of NWFL, we achieve excellent results for our customers with a combination of mastic sealant and aluminum tape.
Should You Get A Professional to Fix Your System?
Through you can seal your ductwork yourself, it can be a daunting process if you're inexperienced.
HVAC contractors can quickly identify issues and professionally seal ductwork, ensuring your system functions efficiently.
We also work to the standards that the North American Technician Excellence (NATE) sets, ensuring high-quality and reliable work.
We can also inspect other parts of your heating, cooling, or HVAC system, such as all your vents and longitudinal seams, the air quality in your house, or if any of your parts are in desperate need of repair.
How Air and Energy of NWFL Can Help With Ductwork Sealing
We will provide a professional sealing solution for your leaky ductwork problems, keeping your system efficient and safe from problems in the long run.
If you live in the Pensacola region and need your ductwork sealed, contact us immediately.
Alternatively, if you're looking for assistance with your next project, we can provide assistance.
We offer solutions for all kinds of cooling and heating systems and will do so with the efficiency and thoroughness we're known for in the Pensacola community. Enquire today.
