How to Tell You Need to Get Your Ducts Checked
Your ductwork may seem a bit mysterious to you. The only time you ever see the inside of ductwork is when someone crawls through it in a movie, and those tend to be commercial ducts… and movies are made for entertainment value, not HVAC accuracy. So how do you know what’s happening inside your ducts? How would you know if there’s a problem?
Here are some things to keep an eye out for that can signal that you need to have your ducts checked and possibly repaired.
Noise
There can be some sounds from your ducts as they expand and contract with changing temperatures. But you should definitely not hear loud popping, banging, or whistling. Those can be signs that your heated or conditioned air is not flowing as it should.
Uneven Temperatures
If parts of your house don’t seem to be receiving the heating or cooling effects of your HVAC system, there may be damage or deterioration in the sections of ductwork connected to those spaces.
Musty Smells
It is possible for moisture to collect in ductwork, making an ideal home for mold to grow. If you can’t see any mildew around the house but you can smell it, duct cleaning can make a tremendous difference. Keep in mind that it’s unhealthy to breathe mold-contaminated air, so take this issue seriously.
Dust
There’s no avoiding dust. There will always be some dust in your life. But if you experience large amounts of dust when your heat or air conditioning kicks on, this problem can be dramatically reduced. Although cleaning the ducts may help, it’s also possible that there is a leak within the ductwork allowing air contaminated with large amounts of dust to be pulled into your HVAC system from unoccupied spaces such as between your walls. Scheduling AC duct repair in Denton, TX could seal the leak and solve the problem.
Utility Bill Increases
If there is a tear, crack, or other damage to your ductwork, you could be spending a lot of money to heat or condition air that is not ending up where it’s needed. If you’ve noticed that your energy costs have increased even though you haven’t made any drastic changes to your usage, your ducts could be responsible.
Indications of Infestation
Mice, insects, and other pests can take up residence in ductwork. This is terrible for two reasons: one, they contaminate the air with their waste, and two, they can easily cause significant damage to your ductwork by chewing or scratching. If you smell any suspicious odors or can see droppings or other debris from your air vents, don’t delay. Address the situation before the damage gets any worse.
Quickly-Clogging Air Filters
If you’re surprised at the amount of dust, fibers, and particles caught in your air filter when you change it, or you’ve had to start changing it more and more often, you might be drawing in extra dust through a leak in your ductwork. Air filters should be changed every 1-3 months, and if they’re heavily contaminated in that time, it’s worth looking into.
Contact PRK Services, Inc. today with any questions about duct repair.