Weather The Storm: Part 4- Duct Sealing and/or Replacement and Indoor Air Quality

Achieving a healthy indoor environment is all about balancing temperature, the moisture levels in the home (relative humidity) and ventilation. 

When even one of these factors is out of balance, it affects the other two.  For example: Many newer homes are tightly sealed, which restricts air movement, traps moisture and toxins inside, and encourages overheating in summer. While a well-sealed home is important to keep the heat or cool in, a healthy indoor environment will have options to allow air to circulate unadulterated through the home's air duct system.

Weatherization applications address several aspects of a home's performance, but they all boil down to one thing- efficiency. Let's take your home's HVAC duct work system for example: A typical duct system can lose up to 20% of conditioned air through leaks, holes, and poorly connected duct work. Properly sealed ducts reduce energy loss and utility bills, and can improve your home's comfort, indoor air quality, safety, and humidity balance.

Ducts distribute conditioned air throughout the home and when properly sealed and insulated can help maintain a more even distribution of heated or cooled air to the home; they can even reduce intake of pollutants such as dirt, dust, and mold, into the duct system. Most importantly, properly sealed ducts can also help prevent back drafting of carbon monoxide from gas furnaces and water heaters into living spaces. This measure also reduces energy use by helping the air conditioning systems work more efficiently by preventing the intake of hot humid air from leaky return ducts.

Think you have leaky ducts?

 

images courtesy of energystar.gov



Here are some warning signs that you might have leaky ducts:

• High energy bills
• Furnace or air conditioning runs for long periods
• Rooms feel noticeably hotter/cooler than others
• Exposed duct work in a garage, attic, crawlspace
• Indoor air quality problems, excessive dust issues
• Tangled or kinked duct work in your attic

Whether you are looking for full spectrum Weatherization, or to just fix a minor comfort issue, Fox Service Company specializes in HVAC service including Weatherization applications and Duct and System replacement. Weatherization can dramatically effect energy bills, air quality and comfort levels inside the home, in most cases. We'd be happy to discuss the available options with you. If you suspect you might have leaky duct work or would like a professional assessment, give us a call at 512 442 6782 or click here for a Free Energy Audit.