Because it’s easy to forget about the ducts in the walls and attic of your house—after all, you can’t see them easily—you probably don’t think much about scheduling service to test them and find out if they need sealing or repair. However, professional duct testing is a task that benefits most homes. If air ducts have leaks, it will cost a house in comfort, energy bills, and damage to HVAC equipment. It all adds up to big expenses and a loss of basic comfort, whether in summer or winter.
We’re going to help you understand the best times to call us to arrange for duct testing in Malvern, PA.
When you’ve purchased a house
When you move into a previously owned house, you’ll discover places that need upkeep, refurbishment, and replacements. One part of the house to pay special attention to is the HVAC system. Is the AC getting too old and is ready to be replaced? Has the system received regular maintenance? And what is the condition of the ductwork? We advise you to call our technicians to test the ducts since you won’t have any idea how well the previous owner did upkeep on the ventilation system. This will help your new house get started right with its HVAC system.
Every three to five years
We consider duct testing a regular maintenance job. It doesn’t need to be done as often as standard HVAC system maintenance, which is twice a year. We instead recommend that homeowners schedule it every three to five years, depending on how much use they get out of the HVAC system and how old it is. Early detection of air leaks and damaged ducts will prevent most of the worst effects of leakage and mitigate how much money these air leaks waste.
If you notice these signs
You can have duct testing done as a reactive measure when you begin to notice indicates that something is amiss with the ventilation system. Here are the most prominent signs of ductwork trouble that call for testing:
- Extremely high energy bills: Up to 30% of the air moving through ducts can escape through air leaks. That’s plenty of air that you’ve already paid to heat or cool that goes to waste, and you’ll see that reflected in your utility bills. If you can’t account for the rise, call our technicians to investigate. We may find that duct testing points us in the right direction.
- Musty and moldy odors from the vents: This warns that the ducts may have holes in them that are allowing in the air from closed-off parts of the house.
- Uneven temperatures from the HVAC system: Hot and cold spots in different rooms can indicate that the ducts leading to them are losing air through leaks.
- Low airflow from the vents: Air leaks cause the entire ventilation system to lose air pressure, and this will cause a reduction in airflow into rooms. You can expect a drop in comfort along with this.
Michall Daimion Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc. has been the Main Line’s Premier Service Provider since 1976. Schedule duct testing for your house to see if duct sealing or repairs are necessary.