Air ducts are important for your HVAC system since it supplies the heated or cooled air from your unit into your home. You expect it to provide air into your home at 100%, but if it has improperly connected ducts, leaking, or has holes, it can lose about 20 to 30% of air. With poor air distribution you’ll also have high energy bills because it’s working inefficiently and will have poor indoor air quality. It’s important to know the signs if your ductwork is damaged and having a professional HVAC technician come in and help.
1. Higher Energy Bills
When the season changes it’s normal for energy bills to go up a bit, but if it’s abnormally high there’s something wrong. Having higher energy bills is a sign of possibly having damaged ductworks. As air escapes from the ductwork, your HVAC system is working harder to reach the desired temperature set. With it working harder than it should your energy bill will start to increase.
2. Dust and Dirt Buildup
With your ductwork distributing cool and heated air throughout your home, the air will go through a filtration system to clean the air. It’s important to change your air filter every 90 days so it can capture dust, lint, pet dander, allergens, and more. If you happen to notice your home is getting dustier and dirt building up, it can be a sign that there is an issue with your ducts. Dust and dirt buildup around vents and registers can be that there is dust build up inside the HVAC machinery and it can lead to costly repairs.
3. Strange Noises
If you hear strange noises like a popping, whistling or banging noise it could mean your ducts are damaged. Different sounds can mean different things for the issue like a crack in your duct work or it’s improperly fitted. Even pressure buildup from the ductwork will make it harder for air to pass through and you’ll hear a strange whistle noise from it. Having an HVAC technician take a look will help figure out what the issue is and fix it promptly.
4. Mildew Smell
Whenever you turn on the heater or AC and start to smell mildew or mold the air ducts can be poorly insulated or have a leak. This can lead to condensation forming in your ductwork if the outside ductwork is warm, but it’s blowing cold air and vice versa. Mold can appear in your ductwork which can be a severe health issue like lung cancer. Allergies can also become worse every time you use your HVAC system, since the spores from the mold will be in the air and affect the indoor air quality.
5. Poor Airflow
You might notice low airflow from your vents that is making it harder to cool or heat your home. Damaged ductworks can have air leaking into other parts of the house like the attic, crawlspace, or walls. As well as the ductwork can have tears or cracks that are making the air leak out. If they weren’t properly installed or had the wrong size ductworks, it can have poor airflow. It’s important to get this issue looked at so it doesn’t put on any wear or tear on your HVAC system.
Your HVAC system is important for your home in keeping you comfortable all year long. Your air ducts need to be looked at by a professional team and you can always trust our experienced team at Omni Air HVAC. We’re happy to help with all of your ductwork needs and ensure we’ll get the job done as quickly and as efficiently as possible.