Ductwork is not something you probably think about often. It’s usually hidden in crawlspaces, attics, inside walls, floors and ceilings. But it’s important to think of ductwork just like you would water pipes; you want to spot the small leaks before they become a big problem.

If there are leaks in your ductwork, it means you’re not getting the efficiency out of your HVAC system you thought you were and it might be time for repair or replacement of the ductwork. At H&S Heating and Air Conditioning, we actually fabricate ductwork in our own shop, so we can customize it to fit your specific system; we don’t believe in “one size fits all.”

Contact us today to learn more about repairing or replacing your ductwork!

3 Tricks For Figuring Out If Your Ductwork Needs To Be Replaced

1. Determine The Age Of Your Ducts

Did you have the ductwork installed yourself? If not, it may be difficult to know what year it was installed, unless you are in communication with the previous owner.

If the ducts were installed with the construction of the home, they may need to be replaced within as few as 10 years. If they were replaced at one point, they typically last 15-20 years, with regular maintenance.

2. Visually Inspect Ducts

It’s vital to inspect your ducts on occasion, if they are visible to you. Many ducts are hidden in walls, floors, ceilings and other spaces. If you can find them though, you may be able to spot cracks as well as places where the ducts are separating from each other. Another dead giveaway is streaks of dust along the duct, which indicates an airflow.

Obviously, this is only part of an inspection process, but it is part of the inspection process you can do on your own.

3. Have Airflow/Efficiency Evaluated

The other part of the inspection process is to have a HVAC technician evaluate the airflow and efficiency of your ductwork. They will conduct a duct blower test to pressurize the system, then use sensors to figure out where and what size any leaks are.

Leaking ducts can have a number of negative effects: uneven cooling and heating; higher levels of dust and particles; higher energy bills; and, higher incidence of allergy and breathing difficulty symptoms.

A H&S Heating and Air Conditioning, we have nearly 30 years of experience in HVAC in central Minnesota, as well as our own ductwork fabrication shop. Contact us anytime to help with your duct replacement or repair!