There are a lot of mechanical and electrical parts to an air conditioner that all work together to keep you cool. Protecting some of these parts with annual air conditioning maintenance may help to keep the system around for longer, prevent repairs, and keep the whole system performing better and more efficiently. Unfortunately, one area of the AC is too often neglected: the ducts.
Duct Leaks Are All Too Common
Studies have shown that the majority of the ducts in the United States leak air to some extent, with the typical home losing about 30% of the air produced to the ductwork. Ducts may form cracks at the joints or seams, or there may be a leak where the ducts are becoming loose. This is not an easy problem to locate as the ducts are usually kept hidden from plain sight.
As air leaks out of the ducts, it transfers to the unoccupied areas the ducts run through. This may include the attic or a crawlspace in the home. You miss out on this leaked cool air, but the system continues to work hard to lower the temperature in the building. This raises your bills and also may force some components of the AC to fail due to exhaustion.
Detecting and Sealing Leaks
Keep in mind that not every technician is equipped to detect and seal leaks in the ductwork. You will have to locate a ductwork specialist if you want to ensure that no part of your AC is overlooked. If your air conditioning parts fail frequently, for example, it may not only be an issue with the system itself. There could be leaky ducts causing the system to work a little too hard.
You cannot seal the ducts with some tape and a flashlight. You’ll need professionals who have the proper tools to handle the job if you want to make sure all leaks are sealed correctly.
Call the professionals at Air On Demand for quality duct sealing and other ductwork services in the Pinecrest area.