5 Telltale Signs of Duct Leaks and How to Track Them Down

Air conditioning maintenance experts say that having problematic ducts in your home cost you extra money, which means that you need to keep an eye on your ducts. Usually, duct leaks are caused by the constant expansion and contraction of the duct connections as your home is heated or cooled, which causes the connections to be improperly sealed. This isn’t the only thing you need to know about this problem, however. In fact, it’s in your best interest to learn as much as you can about duct leaks.

In this post, Superior Air discusses five telltale signs that your home is suffering from duct leaks, and what you can do to track these leaks down.

Low Air Quality – Compromised connections in your ducts can pull in outside air. This means that if you store various chemicals like paint thinner, fertilizers or pesticides in your basement, the fumes they emit can mix with your indoor air, lowering the overall air quality and making it hazardous for your household.

Excessive Dust – Dust already spreads throughout your home, but collapsed and leaky ductwork can easily pick up these fine dust particles and distribute them around your house faster. Therefore, if you notice that your home is getting excessively dusty, leaky ductwork may be the root cause.

Poor Comfort – If your home’s indoor air feels stuffy or various rooms are difficult to cool, this can mean that leaking ducts are spilling your cold air outdoors instead of inside your home. As the usual cause of this issue is poor duct connections, it’s best to call an air conditioning repair and duct sealing professional like the ones from Superior Air to rectify this problem.

High Energy Bills – If you’re facing a ductwork problem, high energy bills are the last thing you want to face. Unfortunately, high utility bills are one of the common side effects of duct leaks, as the cool air that’s supposed to be used for your home is being leaked outside, which causes the cooling system to work harder than before.

Backdrafting – Backdrafting occurs when the fumes that your water heaters or gas furnaces are supposed to be depositing outside are pulled back into your home. This can be a costly issue and a hazardous problem for your household members’ health as well. Therefore, make sure to call a professional to repair your ducts if you suspect this is happening in your home.

How to Track Down Leaks

There are a variety of ways to track down leaks in your ductwork, but there are two in particular that are easy and foolproof. The first one is to look for visible tears in the air ducts. Once you spot them, mark the areas with a grease pencil so your professional will know where to look when you call them for repairs. The second way to determine if your ductwork is leaking is by using incense or a smoke pencil. Once you’ve lit them, run them beneath the ductwork. If you start seeing smoke twirl in an unusual pattern, this means it’s being sucked up through a tear in the air duct.

For assistance in maintaining your home’s HVAC system, don’t hesitate to turn to Superior Air. We’re your leading provider of air conditioning installation and duct sealing services. Give us a call at (559) 342-0023 or fill out our contact form to get a free quote. We serve homeowners in Hanford, CA, and nearby areas.