Did you know if your home’s ductwork leaks just 20 percent, it can force your HVAC system to work 50 percent harder? All of these numbers will add up to higher energy bills for you. The good news is that duct sealing is an easy but important way to save money on your utility bills.
How Duct Sealing Saves You Money
The ductwork in your home is a network of tubes that connect your forced-air cooling or heating equipment to all the rooms in your home. When you have leaking ductwork, it could mean that air you’ve paid to condition is leaking out into unheated or un-cooled areas of your home.
In turn, this means rooms in your house aren’t getting the cooled or heated air they need. Your home becomes uncomfortable with some rooms being too hot and some rooms being too cold.
In effort to make your home comfortable again, you constantly adjust the thermostat making your cooling or heating equipment work harder. When you have correct duct sealing done, it can save you as much as 10-20 percent on your utility bills.
Check for Duct Sealing Problems
Easy places to check for problems are duct connections, near the air handler, and near vents and registers. If your vents and registers aren’t attached tightly, use weatherstripping on the inside edge. This keeps air from leaking into the walls.
You’ll find most of your ductwork in the attic, garage or crawl spaces. Look for gaps, unsealed joints, or where ductwork has come loose. Ductwork problems in these areas can be difficult to access. If so, call the professionals to do the inspection for you. They know what to look for and won’t overlook even small leaks that are costing you big money.
Save Big Money With Proper Duct Sealing
Check your home once every year for duct leaks, and seal the leaks you find with mastic sealant or metal-backed tape. Avoid using standard duct tape, since the seal won’t hold over the long term.