Tight Ducts Will Help Keep the Heat in Your Home Where it Belongs

Fort Wayne’s winters are frigid and snowy, so your furnace needs to be at peak performance before it gets cold. Repairs to heating ductwork are often neglected because the ducts aren't easily visible, however, this can lead to serious problems. Here are some suggestions on how to recognize broken or loose ducts:

1. You can easily remedy the most common furnace problem without help. If registers are blocked, whether by furniture or accumulated debris, heated air will pass by that room without warming it up. Move your furniture far enough from the register to permit airflow. Vacuuming the registers will also help to remove any blockages.
2. Did you see a sudden increase to your heating costs at the same time that your home is not warm enough? Leaky ducts make the furnace run overtime in an attempt to compensate for the lost warm air.
3. Are you noticing hot and cold spots in your home? Measure the temperature in several different rooms. If there is a big difference between them, you probably have leaky ductwork. When air circulates through tight ducts, the temperature should be approximately the same anywhere you are.
4. Do you hear banging and rattling noises coming from your registers? Loose and broken ducts can be very loud as the air passes through them.
5. Do you hear whistling and wheezing sounds from your registers? If the ducts are blocked, air will have trouble passing through them. This may also happen when the ducts are too narrow to service your home easily.

If you determine that the ductwork is the cause of your problems, contact a reputable HVAC company. Many people attempt the repair with duct tape, which is not recommended. You may end up spending more on heat and avoidable repairs than if you contacted a professional to begin with. Professionals seal ducts with durable materials such as metal sheeting and screws, mastic and fiberglass.

Residents of Fort Wayne have counted on Hartman Brothers Heating & Air Conditioning since 1963. If you have questions about how tight ducts will save money, call us today!

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 ductwork and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Guide or call us at 260-376-2961.

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