Householders Information to Ductwork Sealing

⭐ Do You Want Ductwork Sealing?

A house’s ductwork sometimes isn’t the very first thing most owners consider when coping with the mechanical system of their home.

However this community of provide and return air ducts performs a vital function in distributing heat or cool air all through the home and protecting you, the house owner, snug year-round.

Irrespective of the local weather, all properties in America use some mixture of heating and cooling methods, both predominantly cooling within the south or heating up north.

This duct system ought to be maintained, as leaky ductwork could cause a spike in utility payments, extreme use of assets, and undesirable noise.

This text will define 3 ways to verify a duct system doesn’t leak, which is able to enable you to get monetary savings and keep snug.

⭐ Issues Attributable to Unsealed Ducts

As you possibly can think about, all types of issues come up in case you have air leaking out of your ductwork.

These can come within the type of small leaks, massive leaks, or hidden leaks.

Simply keep in mind, there IS a approach to seal up all of the leaks!

🔧 Holding Soiled Air Out

On the provision aspect of your HVAC system, the air is being pressured outwards by the air ducts.

However on the return aspect, the air is being pressured again in in the direction of the fan which might such mud and grime particles inwards.

No duct system is resistant to mud, however utilizing aluminum foil tape or some form of air duct sealing methodology is an excellent approach to stop this mud from increase prematurely.

🔧 Decrease Vitality Payments

Compelled air heating and cooling methods use assets like electrical energy, pure gasoline, propane, or oil to create cool or heat air.

On a leaky ductwork system, you possibly can count on plenty of this conditioned air gained’t make it again into the dwelling area in your house, which is a waste of power utilization.

⭐ Advantages of Sealed Ducts

Improved HVAC Effectivity

Air duct sealing can have a really constructive impact on the effectivity of your HVAC system.

When an air duct system is put in correctly with tight joints and no leaks, the complete system runs smoother and lasts longer.

Might you think about your furnace not placing out sufficient warmth on a chilly night time merely due to some mud and grime increase inside your ducts?

Higher Air High quality

On HVAC methods with tight duct sealing, you possibly can guess that constructing’s indoor air high quality is best than common.

It is because, from day 1, there hasn’t been any alternative for contamination within the HVAC system.

The perfect recommendation I at all times give clients is to easily change your furnace air filter each 3 months of run time, that means not simply working the furnace within the winter but in addition the air-con in the summertime.

Each methods use the blower fan, which strikes air by the air ducts virtually year-round.

Cleaner Evaporator Coil

Stemming from higher indoor air high quality, the HVAC system’s evaporator coil can even accumulate much less mud and lint over an extended time period.

Your evaporator coil is accountable for creating conditioned air in your house.

Whether or not it’s cool air out of your air conditioner or heat air out of your warmth pump, it performs a vital function and ought to be stored as clear as attainable.

This can be a large deal as a result of cleansing a grimy evaporator coil is an costly and time-consuming job, to not point out the truth that a grimy coil will cut back the effectivity of your air conditioner or warmth pump.

⭐ Small Duct Leaks Usually Go Un-Observed

That is very true in an older residence, or one you might have lived in for a very long time.

Any time I exchange a furnace or air handler in a buyer’s residence, I at all times seal any gaps within the sheet metallic transition I made, plus gaps in some other accessible ducts I can attain.

Prospects often fall into one in every of two classes, they’re both amazed on the quantity of air coming from their vents, or they’re not proud of new noises coming from their ducts.

Image this situation: A number of staples have popped out of a chunk of thermopan return air duct, that means there may be now a flap that’s not connected to something on three sides.

The outdated furnace moved much less air in order that flap waved a bit however didn’t make any noise.

Now with a brand new furnace transferring way more air, this flap is repeatedly hitting the joist the place it was initially connected, and all of the house owner can hear is smack, smack, smack each time the blower fan is working.

Fixing this massive air leak entails opening the ceiling for entry and stapling the pan again into its unique place.

Now that instance is on the acute finish of the spectrum, nonetheless, it illustrates the necessity to apply air duct sealing strategies to HVAC methods that want it.

⭐ Duct Sealing Strategies: Three Methods To Cease Air Leaks

Typically talking, there are 3 ways to seal leaky ductwork.

The primary one is fast and straightforward however doesn’t look all that nice.

The second takes a little bit of time and care however can have a really skilled look as soon as achieved.

And the third is a proprietary choice from the corporate Aeroseal, which they will solely do.

That is the simplest approach to seal ducts, however it is usually the costliest and time-consuming.

Tin Tape, NOT Duct Tape

Choice primary when coping with leaky ducts is to easily seize a roll of tin tape or foil tape, relying on the place you reside, and wrap all unsealed duct connections, together with every joint, nook hole, and seam.

This model of tin/foil tape is manufactured by a number of totally different firms, and you actually do wish to get the very best quality tape for the job.

First off, be sure there’s a UL quantity on the packaging.

This stands for Underwriters Laboratory and means this product has been accepted for duct sealing.

My suggestion is Nashua tin tape.

It peels off its backing simpler, sticks higher will be squeegeed smoother, and eliminated in a single piece if the necessity arises.

Mastic Duct Sealant

Choice quantity two is to use a duct sealing paste known as Mastic sealant, which will also be known as duct seal.

As with something, there’s a good means and a not-so-nice approach to apply these things.

If you’d like your HVAC system ducts to have a pleasant take care of making use of mastic duct sealant, I’d advocate grabbing a roll of painter’s tape and making one full wrap round both aspect of the leaky space.

Then after utilizing a paint brush to use mastic all the way in which round, take away the tape, and you’ll have an ideal ring with good, clean edges.

Alternatively, you might skip the tape and simply paint across the leaky space.

When it dries, you’ll be left with a blotchy gray space however no leaks!

One factor to recollect is to put on gloves when making use of duct mastic.

This can be a paste and might get in all places when you’re not cautious.

Aeroseal Duct Sealing

Choice quantity three for duct sealing entails calling an organization known as Aeroseal.

They specialise in sealing ductwork from the within out utilizing a proprietary methodology invented specifically for this business.

The most important benefit of Aeroseal is it might probably seal up any leak by injecting a liquid rubber sealant all through the complete ductwork system.

That is achieved at one single level, saving you the effort of eradicating drywall, looking for leaky ducts, and making repairs your self.

You could find them on-line for extra info by looking Aeroseal Duct Sealing.

🛑 Watch out for Duct Tape

I do know what you’re pondering, didn’t I simply checklist duct tape as the primary choice when contemplating the way to seal up leaky ductwork?

And you’d be right, I did.

Nevertheless, there’s a large distinction between foil tape and common homeowner-quality duct tape, particularly in relation to sealing ducts.

First off, please, I urge you, do NOT use the traditional gray, straightforward to tear duct tape from the drawer in your dad’s store.

That stuff will fall off metallic ductwork in a matter of days resulting from temperature fluctuations all through the day and night time.

Additionally, since common duct tape has been round for fairly some time within the residence enchancment business, please take warning when eradicating any outdated tape from present ductwork.

There are rumors this tape can comprise asbestos, which is a well being hazard when breathed in, so put on a face masks each time coping with outdated tape.

⭐ Conclusion

So the 3 ways of sealing your ductwork are tin tape (not duct tape), mastic duct sealant, and Aeroseal duct sealing.

Every has its personal benefits and drawbacks.

Nevertheless, this actually is a case of ‘you get what you pay for.’

Sealing your ducts with tin tape or mastic is the most cost effective and best in case you have entry to all of the ducts in your home.

Whereas Aeroseal can get to each leak within the ductwork system, however it might probably solely be achieved by a licensed skilled from the corporate.

Bear in mind to take precautions, too, similar to not putting in versatile ducts, utilizing air filter, protecting any tiny gaps, putting in energy-efficient home equipment, and making certain all of your vents are open.

These recommendations, coupled with leak-free ducts, will guarantee your power payments are decrease, your air provide is steadier, and your ducts are cleaner.

Wish to study extra about your property’s HVAC system? Be happy to take a look at our different HVAC articles!