Duct sealing is one of the easiest and most effective ways to improve your HVAC system's efficiency. In the average Indiana home, around 20 percent of conditioned air is wasted due to leaky ducts.
Duct leaks leave you with higher energy bills and a less comfortable home. What's more, the leaks can draw in unconditioned air, potentially allowing fumes from your gas furnace to spread through your home. Improving your ductwork's efficiency by sealing those leaks is a fairly simple process.
- Look for leaks – Inspect all the ducts in accessible unconditioned areas such as the attic, basement, crawlspaces and garage. Look for joined sections that have separated and unsealed joints, then check for holes. Also look for unsealed connections to registers or vents in floors, walls and ceilings, as well as points where the ducts connect to the furnace or the heat pump's indoor unit.
- Start sealing – Mastic sealant, foil-backed tape and butyl tape are all appropriate for duct sealing. Tape used should be heat approved and carry the Underwriters Laboratories (UL) logo. Cloth-backed duct tape (the common silver type) isn't appropriate for ducts because it breaks down in high temperatures.
- Consider insulation – After you've sealed your ducts, consider installing insulation. This improves the energy efficiency of your ducts by minimizing energy loss due to heat transfer. Fiberglass bats, radiant barrier foil duct wrap and rigid fiberboard insulation are all options. For fiberboard installation, consult an HVAC technician.
Sealing and insulating basement ducts makes the basement colder, so you may need to wrap pipes in electric heating tape to prevent frozen pipes in cold weather.
Although a do-it-yourself duct sealing and insulation job can boost your ductwork's efficiency, you'll get more out of your investment by hiring an HVAC technician. HVAC professionals can select and apply sealing material for optimal efficiency. They can also check for other issues that lower efficiency, such as ducts not attached to registers and insufficient return ducts.
For more expert guidance on duct sealing and energy efficiency issues, contact us at Hartman Brothers Heating & Air Conditioning. Since 1963, we've been serving the Fort Wayne area.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in New Haven, Indiana and surrounding Fort Wayne area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about energy efficiency and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
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