Ross and Witmer Your furnace’s life expectancy isn’t the only thing you need to pay attention to if you want to maintain the best heating efficiency in your home this winter. If your home is suffering from heating problems, aging ducts might be to blame.
How Old Are Your Ducts?
The ductwork that is installed during the initial construction of homes isn’t made to last as long as the house will. There can be problems with ductwork breaking down as soon as 10 years after a home’s construction. If the seals and joints in your ducts are deteriorating from age it can cause major problems for maintaining the heating efficiency in your home.
What Are Some Signs of Aging Ducts?
If your home hasn’t had proper duct sealing, the damage to your ductwork might be extreme enough to be very obvious. Look at areas where the ducts are exposed, such as in crawl spaces or attics. Do you see deteriorated duct tape? Are there any streaks of dust that can be seen radiating out from places where air is leaking out? Does it look corroded? Is there any rust? These are all signs of aging ducts that are causing problems for your home. Another sign of bad ductwork is a variation of the temperature and airflow from room to room throughout the house.
How Can You Test the Condition of Your Ducts?
You can easily get an evaluation of your ducts by having an HVAC professional conduct a duct blower test. During the test, sensors are placed inside of the ducts, your home’s entire system of ductwork is carefully pressurized to a specific level, and the airflow is calculated to reveal any problems. This test will show if your ductwork has aged to a point where the heating efficiency of your home is being affected. This way, you can have it taken care of to benefit from an immediate heating improvement and long-term energy savings.
Please contact us at Ross & Witmer if you would like more information about how you can prevent aging ducts from affecting your home’s heating efficiency this winter.