Owners Information to Ductwork Sealing

⭐ Do You Want Ductwork Sealing?

A house’s ductwork usually isn’t the very first thing most householders 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.

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

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

This text will define 3 ways to ensure a duct system doesn’t leak, which is able to make it easier to get monetary savings and keep snug.

⭐ Issues Brought on by Unsealed Ducts

As you’ll be able to think about, all types of issues come up when you’ve got air leaking out of your ductwork.

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

Simply bear in mind, there IS a strategy to seal up all of the leaks!

🔧 Conserving Soiled Air Out

On the provision facet of your HVAC system, the air is being compelled outwards by way of the air ducts.

However on the return facet, the air is being compelled again in in direction of the fan which might such mud and filth particles inwards.

No duct system is resistant to mud, however utilizing aluminum foil tape or some kind of air duct sealing methodology is an excellent strategy to stop this mud from build up prematurely.

🔧 Decrease Vitality Payments

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

On a leaky ductwork system, you’ll be able to count on a whole lot of this conditioned air gained’t make it again into the residing house in your house, which is a waste of vitality utilization.

⭐ Advantages of Sealed Ducts

Improved HVAC Effectivity

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

When an air duct system is put in correctly with tight joints and no leaks, all the 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 filth build up inside your ducts?

Higher Air High quality

On HVAC programs with tight duct sealing, you’ll be able to wager that constructing’s indoor air high quality is healthier than common.

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

The very best recommendation I at all times give prospects 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 programs use the blower fan, which strikes air by way of the air ducts nearly year-round.

Cleaner Evaporator Coil

Stemming from higher indoor air high quality, the HVAC system’s evaporator coil may also 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 needs to be saved as clear as doable.

It is a big deal as a result of cleansing a unclean evaporator coil is an costly and time-consuming job, to not point out the truth that a unclean coil will scale back the effectivity of your air conditioner or warmth pump.

⭐ Small Duct Leaks Typically Go Un-Observed

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

Any time I change a furnace or air handler in a buyer’s dwelling, I at all times seal any gaps within the sheet steel 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 state of affairs: Just a few staples have popped out of a chunk of thermopan return air duct, that means there’s now a flap that isn’t 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 huge air leak entails opening the ceiling for entry and stapling the pan again into its authentic place.

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

⭐ Duct Sealing Strategies: Three Methods To Cease Air Leaks

Usually 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 accomplished.

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

That is the simplest strategy to seal ducts, however it’s also 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 fashion of tin/foil tape is manufactured by just a few completely different firms, and you actually do need to get the highest quality tape for the job.

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

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

My advice 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 referred to as Mastic sealant, which can be referred to as duct seal.

As with something, there’s a good manner and a not-so-nice strategy to apply these items.

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

Then after utilizing a paint brush to use mastic all the best way round, take away the tape, and you should have an ideal ring with good, easy edges.

Alternatively, you possibly can 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.

It is a paste and may get in all places in case you’re not cautious.

Aeroseal Duct Sealing

Choice quantity three for duct sealing entails calling an organization referred to 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 could seal up any leak by injecting a liquid rubber sealant all through all the ductwork system.

That is accomplished 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 data by looking out Aeroseal Duct Sealing.

🛑 Watch out for Duct Tape

I do know what you’re considering, didn’t I simply checklist duct tape as the primary choice when contemplating learn how 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 on the subject of sealing ducts.

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

That stuff will fall off steel 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 dwelling enchancment business, please take warning when eradicating any outdated tape from current ductwork.

There are rumors this tape can include asbestos, which is a well being hazard when breathed in, so put on a face masks at any time when 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 when you’ve got entry to all of the ducts in your own home.

Whereas Aeroseal can get to each leak within the ductwork system, however it could solely be accomplished by an authorized skilled from the corporate.

Keep in mind to take precautions, too, reminiscent of not putting in versatile ducts, utilizing a very good air filter, overlaying any tiny gaps, putting in energy-efficient home equipment, and making certain all of your vents are open.

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

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