Another Way to Help Your Heater Keep You Warm: Duct Sealing

It’s already December, and the official start of winter is only a few weeks away. We hope that you’ve already taken steps to see that your home is properly winterized, and that you’ve also scheduled professional maintenance for your heating system. (This is especially important, since it will help prevent surprise heater breakdowns during the coldest days of the year.)

There’s another step you can take, which is to arrange for duct sealing for the ventilation system. You may not realize it, but leaks in your air ducts can contribute to a significant decline in home comfort, not to mention a spike in heating bills.

Ductwork damage and winter discomfort

Because you can’t see most of the ductwork that serves your home, you probably aren’t aware of the ways it can sustain damage leading to air leaks. Moisture, corrosion, stress, insects, and animals can all create holes inside the ducts. Ductwork that was poorly installed in the first place (all too common, unfortunately) is particularly susceptible to developing leaks.

How does this affect your comfort? The ducts will lose heat rapidly through any leaks. In fact, studies by the U.S. Department of Energy have shown that up to 30% of the air moving through a ventilation system will escape because of these leaks. When you consider that the air around ductwork is usually colder than the rest of the house because the ducts are located in closed-off, uninsulated regions (such as between walls) it becomes very easy for heat to leave the ductwork. The air that reaches the rooms connected to damaged ducts will be much less warm.

If you notice cold spots in your house while the heater is running, you may have duct leaks. Don’t try to fix this yourself! Duct sealing is a job for professionals only.

Call Raleigh Heating & Air, Inc. and arrange for duct sealing with us! We serve Knightdale, NC and the surrounding areas.