Ductwork Leaks - Signs and Causes

As homeowners begin to sense a compromised comfort in the indoor, the first thought goes towards the HVAC system. It is true that for most of the times, the reason behind compromised indoor comfort is the HVAC units but it is not always the case. Sometimes, the units are all okay but it is the ductwork that aches. Did you know that even small leaks and cracks can devoid you of 20% conditioned air rising the use of the appliances and the energy bills? It is, therefore, important to not be careless towards this issue and fix the problem as soon as it is observed.

All homes usually have one these three duct types;
They either have a metal sheet or an insulated flexible or insulated duct board. In the modern homes, the duct most commonly installed is of the flexible sheet. This, though easy to install and flexible to accommodate is hard to take care of. Not only that it is easily damaged but is also relatively less energy efficient. Whatever the duct type is, once it gets the leaks, the situation keeps on getting worse; the leaks widen and cracks expand resulting in more loss of energy and higher energy bills.
There are some signs that can help detect ductwork leaks;


Sings of a leaking ductwork 

* If your utility bills suddenly start to escalate and the HVAC units are working fine, it's the ductwork that you should check
* If there are rooms or areas of the home that are becoming difficult to warm/cool
* Indoor getting stuffy
* Air filters frequently getting dirty
* Dents or cracks in the ductwork
* Discolouring ceiling could also be an indication of leaking ductwork
* Home getting unusually dusty

These sings can help you find out the leaks and cracks. But you should also get to know of the primary causes of duct leaks.

Causes of Ductwork leaks? 

* Ductwork needs to be renewed after its lifetime is over. If you have an old home with an old ductwork installed, chances are you'll have leaks frequently
* Many people close the vents in the unused rooms. Doing so keeps the air trapped in the ductwork resulting in cracks
* If you have rats and rodents at home and a foil or flexible ductwork, you are at a constant risk. They can leave multiple cracks and leaks in your ductwork anytime
* A professional installation always matters. So if you had chosen a wrong tech who left loopholes, the loose connections in the ductwork would cause leaks
* Some ductworks need to have insulation in order to be properly efficient. Improper insulation may cause leaks

If you are suspecting a ductwork leak, do the following;
Take a piece of paper or burning candle and move it closer to the areas that you think have leaks. If the candle flickers or the piece of paper moves rapidly, there are leaks. Seal the leaks with a duct tape. However, there would be times when you'll find it difficult to find the leaks or to fix them on your own. When that happens, never overlook the matter and call a professional to check the ductwork to find and fix the problem. 

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Getting to know Negative and Positive Air Pressure

Ever experienced sudden slamming of doors and windows? A strange whoosh and whistle sound? Light objects automatically getting an outward flow? All of this, if it happens when you’re with the rest of the members may not scare you but imagine yourself completely alone at home and the doors and windows start to bang! Huh! Scary, very scary! The only thought that this occurrence will give you would be; ‘’I need to call a ghostbuster as early as possible’’. Interestingly, for such an issue, the right person to call is an HVAC professional. This type of occurrences take place as a result of improper air pressure. It could be a negative air pressure or a positive air pressure; anything but a normal air pressure. The symptoms may include;

* Uneven temperature in different parts of home
* Sudden slamming of doors and windows
* Easy to open doors/windows requiring unnecessary energy
* Strange noises (whoosh, whistling)
* Doors, windows getting automatically open
* Differentiating positive and negative air pressure


When you have a high indoor pressure and the air rushes from inside towards outside, it is the positive air pressure. As a result of such pressure, the doors/windows open outwardly on their own. Also, as there’s a high indoor pressure, it may make the opening of windows/doors difficult from outside.

Negative air pressure, on the other hand, is a scenario in which the outdoor air pressure is higher than the indoor air pressure. In other words, there’s insufficient air pressure in the indoors. As air moves from higher pressure towards lower pressure, the indoors will suck the outer air resulting in inward opening/slamming of doors/windows and overburdening of the HVAC system as it has to counteract with higher and more pressure.

Why does pressure go out of balance?


The question is; why in the first place, does the indoor air pressure go out of control? Here are the reasons;

1. Hot air consequences:


Hot air rises, remember that first hot air balloon experiment from primary school? The phenomenon of negative air pressure often takes place in winters as the hot air accumulates the indoors. The hot air rises to the upper portions or evacuates through vents and chimneys, leaving a low air pressure behind. As a result, the air pressure imbalance takes place.

2. Effect of exhaust fans


Exhausts fans help expel the undesirable air but they may perform over efficiently and expel so much air so as to cause a negative air pressure in the indoor.

3. Duct leaks


Leaking ducts compromise air pressure. They will overly supply air to the enclosed areas while leaving the open areas with an insufficient supply of air. This will result in negative air pressure in the open areas and positive air pressure in the enclosed areas.

4. Fan speed


While you may look here and there to find the cause of improper air balance, it could be in the speed of your Air Conditioner/Furnace fan. A very high speed of the fan will push more air towards the indoors through ducts, resulting in positive air pressure.

Many homeowners live under constantly imbalanced air pressure and never bother to balance it. The fact is, an improper and unbalanced air pressure will not only give you scary instances when you are home alone, it also has the potential to affect the HVAC system by overburdening it (as explained above).

If you figure out that you are living under positive or negative air pressure, make no delay and fix the problem by calling an HVAC professional as soon as possible.

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