The efficiency of your HVAC system depends not only on its maintenance, but also the maintenance of your ductwork system. Air duct maintenance is an essential aspect of your HVAC system’s performance, and should not be disregarded nor overlooked. The EPA’s EnergyStar has said that at least 20% of cooled air gets lost and wasted due to leaky ductwork.
If your HVAC system has been virtually been untouched for many years now, aside from circulating air, it could have developed cracks and leaks as your house shifted and settled. If it has a leak, this could be the reason why your air conditioner does not seem to be performing up to par, and why your energy bills are higher than normal.
Why Air Duct Maintenance is Important
A typical HVAC unit has to recirculate the air to the ducts as many as five times a day. Because of the essential part it plays in heating or cooling a home, air duct maintenance can have a significant impact on improving the efficiency of your entire HVAC system. Evaluating to see that the ducts are properly sealed ensures that your system is working as efficiently as possible to get heated and cooled air throughout your home and makes it so that your air conditioner does not have to work as hard. Therefore, air duct maintenance lessens the load that your AC unit carries, improves its overall performance, and extends its lifespan.
What Happens During Air Duct Maintenance
Most of the activities done during an air duct maintenance cannot be done by the average homeowner. Professional air duct maintenance usually entails using professional tools and equipment such as blowers and vacuums so that all of the duct components can be accessed and evaluated, even the hard-to-reach areas. This is why any maintenance and repairs should be done by a fully trained and certified HVAC company.
Some of the main air duct maintenance services that your system may require include:
- Pressure-testing the ducts: This is a diagnostic tool used to see how the ductwork reacts to pressure and to determine if there are any leaks in the ductwork system.
- Performing an inspection of the joints: This is done to see if any joints have loosened up or become disconnected. The joints are then tightened to make the duct more airtight.
- Repairing ducts: After locating the leaks through a pressure test, the next step is to seal them with a metallic foil tape and apply mastic sealant to secure the seal.
- Replacing ducts. If any of the leaky ducts are beyond repair, they will have to be replaced.
- Re-balancing the entire system. The HVAC unit is turned on to see if the leaking air duct issue has been resolved. If no air is coming out of the patched spots, then the leaking ducts have been successfully sealed.
Hire Us for Your Air Duct Maintenance Needs in St. Louis
If you need air duct maintenance and service in the St. Louis area, rest assured that your home will be in good hands with Galmiche & Sons. Our track record of more than 60 years in the HVAC industry has made us an industry leader when it comes to the HVAC and air duct maintenance needs of private residents and commercial establishments throughout St. Louis. To speak with one of our knowledgeable heating and air conditioning experts and to learn more, give us a call at 314-993-1110!
