Is Now the Time to Replace Your Los Angeles Ductwork?

Your home’s ductwork is the highway heated and cooled air uses to get to your rooms. Ducts are almost completely hidden from sight, meaning you may not think about it very often. Just like any other system in your home, ductwork can suffer from damage and breakdowns that make it necessary to evaluate the need for replacement. Here are signs that indicate you need to replace your ducts:

• Old age: As a general rule, seams, seals, and joints start deteriorating after 10 years. Therefore, if your ducts have already reached the 10-year mark, it’s time to think about replacement. If your home was built more than 50 years ago, harmful asbestos could have been used to line your ducts. If you haven’t had an asbestos abatement, you have more reason to consider replacing your ducts.
• Uneven temperatures: Do you notice any uneven heating or cooling as you walk from one room to another? Is one floor or room less comfortable than the others? These may indicate eroding ducts that require replacement.
• Cracks, holes, and disconnections: Cracks, holes, deteriorating duct tape, and disconnected spans will cause unnecessary air leakage. Inspect your ductwork for these signs in parts of your home where they are exposed such as the crawl space and attic.
• Noisy air system: Does your heating or cooling system make a lot of noise? If yes, you may be having an undersized duct system. Such a system chokes airflow and affects the efficiency of your HVAC system.

Schedule a Duct Blower Test

If you’ve spotted any of these signs, your next step should be to schedule a duct blower test with an HVAC company. This test involves the use of a blower fan to pressurize your ducts to a standard level. Pressure sensors inside your ducts take readings that are used by a computer to determine the exact amount of air leakage.

Replacing faulty ducts in good time will have a positive impact on your comfort levels and energy bills. If you have more questions about ductwork, contact Air-Tro. We serve the Greater Los Angeles area.

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

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