Air Duct Sealing

In a house that has central air conditioning or forced-air heating, a ductwork system is used to distribute conditioned (cooled or heated) air to living spaces. "Supply" ducts convey conditioned air from the furnace or central AC unit to living spaces, while "return" ducts bring air back to the centrally located air handler to be reconditioned.

• Do you have high summer and winter utility bills
• Do you have rooms that are difficult to heat and cool
• Do you have stuffy rooms that never seem to feel comfortable
• Are your ducts are located in an attic, crawlspace, or the garage
• Do you find tangled or kinked flexible ducts in your system. 

According to the U.S. Dept. of Energy, in a typical house as much as 20% and in some cases 50% of the air moving through the ductwork system is lost because of duct leaks. Duct leakage forces your HVAC system to work harder and longer in order to meet the temperature setting on your thermostat. Leaky ducts also cause "bad" air from your basement, crawl space or attic to be drawn into your system and distributed throughout the house.Duct sealing is an energy-saving upgrade that will pay off by improving interior comfort and air quality while reducing your utility bills. It's smart to have this work done by an experienced professional because a typical ductwork system contains different duct materials and many different fittings and connections. A technician familiar with air duct sealing will know what materials and duct sealing techniques work best on different parts of your ductwork system.

Along with duct sealing, it's worthwhile to have at least some of your ductwork insulated. If you have ductwork located in crawl space, basement and attic areas, thick how cold or hot these areas become at different times of the year. Insulating ductwork in these areas will prevent cooled air from being heated by hot ducts in the summer. In wintertime, insulated ductwork protects heated air from frigid temperatures in a crawl space or attic.

Remember, duct sealing and duct insulation are affordable energy-saving upgrades that require no maintenance or replacement ever. You pay for these upgrades once and then enjoy improved comfort and energy savings for as long as you own your house.

Common Duct Problems and Solutions

A. Leaky, torn, and disconnected ducts
B. Poorly sealed registers and grills
C. Leaks at furnace and filter slot
D. Kinks in flexible ductwork restricting airflow

Solutions

E. Properly sealed ducts
F. Registers and grills tightly sealed to ducts
G. Sealed furnace and filter slot
H. Well-insulated ducts in unfinished areas
I. Straightened flexible

A duct system that is well-designed and properly sealed can make your home more comfortable, energy efficient, and safer.

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.