Leaky Air Ducts in Your Home Are Major Energy Wasters

The Leaky Air Ducts in Your Monrovia Home: They’re Crying for Attention

Leaky air ducts are one of the major energy wasters in your Pasadena home. Summer or winter, you’re wasting conditioned air if it’s leaking into the unconditioned spaces where most proper ductwork design is likely to be located.

Ducts leaking only 20 percent of the air that passes through them will increase your heating and cooling bill by 50 percent.

How Duct Leaks Happen

Ductwork leaks often occur as the result of breakdown of the sheet-metal ducts. Ductwork older than 10 to 15 years should be evaluated and possibly replaced.

To make repairs, follow these tips:

• Duct tape, for example, which is commonly used to seal ductwork, eventually dries out and fails.
• Ducts should be held together with duct screws, while mastic, a paint-on type of sealant, should be used to seal any leaks.

Air duct leaks are most likely to occur in duct connections, in the supply ducts, or around insulation. They also occur in holes in the ducts, through gaps and cracks and other openings where the ducts are joined to the system,

How to Find Out if You Have Leaky Ducts

Your air duct system should be checked for leaks at least once per year. The inspection should be completed by a professional inspector who will know where to look and what to look for when identifying air duct leaks. They will also have the latest technology to help them identify leaks that cannot be seen with the naked eye.

To learn more about fixing leaky air ducts, contact Air-Tro Inc. We have been helping maintain the indoor air quality of Pasadena-area homes for more than 40 years.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Pasadena, California area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).

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