Duct testing is an essential part of maintaining a clean, healthy and energy-efficient home. As summer winds down, it won’t be long before we have to button up our homes for cooler weather. Closing the doors and windows concentrates indoor pollutants, so before the cold air descends, it’s a good idea to have a professional help you with this essential part of HVAC system maintenance.

Expect these three benefits from duct testing and sealing:

  1. Cleaner indoor air – Loose ducts pick up any airborne particles that land in your attic or walls. They can even blow tiny bits of loose insulation, whether they’re from the ducts themselves or the areas through which they run. Duct sealing keeps your home cleaner and reduces allergens in your air. Those allergens may include dust mites, mold or fungal spores and dander — all known respiratory irritants.
  2. Safer air – If you use a fuel-burning heating system or other gas-burning appliances, loose ducts can interfere with the venting of carbon monoxide (CO) and can actually pull this dangerous gas into your home, which is a serious health and safety hazard.
  3. Lower utility bills – The Department of Energy estimates that ductwork in HVAC systems may cause a 30 percent loss in conditioned air, whether it’s through air leaking through loose ducts or from thermal losses that occur with uninsulated ducts.

The techniques that HVAC contractors use varies, and regardless of the methods and equipment they use, the process can reveal your ducts’ weak points. Age can be a factor in leaky ducts, although HVAC systems of any age can develop problems.

The tests, which can take several hours, measure the air pressure at each register in your home. During the test, your heating or cooling system may not be delivering air to your rooms, so selecting a mild season for having your ducts examined will keep you more comfortable.

If you’d like to learn more about duct testing, contact Stack Heating & Cooling. Our company is NATE-certified — the most prestigious distinction in the HVAC industry. We’ve provided HVAC services to northeast Ohio residents since 1976.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Cleveland, Ohio about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about duct testing and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

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