July 18, 2019

Your HVAC system is an integral part of maintaining a comfortable, healthy home. Unfortunately, it’s not always cheap to ensure your home remains cool in the summer and warm in the winter. Nevertheless, the truth is that many people pay much more than they actually need to in order to achieve these goals. In fact, even something seemingly small like leaking air ducts could be costing you far more than you might imagine.

Leaky Ducts Equal Lost Air

Your home’s heating and cooling system are connected through a series of ducts, and these ducts are made up of individual pieces that are joined together to create a continuous, closed system. The problem is that the ducts will often develop small gaps, cracks, or holes due to age, improper installation, damage, etc. When this happens, the result is that much of the air in the system escapes into the walls, floors, ceilings, and attic instead of flowing out through your vents.

Lost Air Means Decreased Efficiency

The result of all that lost air is that your heater or air conditioner is then forced to work harder than it otherwise would. In some cases, you could be losing as much as 25 to 30 percent of the air through your leaky ducts, which equates to a similar reduction in the efficiency.

The Final Result: Higher Energy Costs

The less efficient your HVAC system is, the more often your heater or air conditioner has to run in order to achieve and to maintain your desired temperature. It really is quite simple. If your AC needs to work 30 percent more to make up for that lost efficiency, the result is that you’ll end up paying around 30 percent more to cool your house than you would if you weren’t losing all that air.

Seal Your Ducts and Save Some Cash

The good news is that air duct sealing is a relatively quick and inexpensive solution that allows you to ensure that leaking air ducts aren’t costing you more money. Of course, regular heater/air conditioner maintenance is also important since leaky ducts are far from the only thing that could hamper your HVAC system’s efficiency. At Bratcher Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc., our professional HVAC services are available for customers in Peoria, Champlain, and Bloomington. Don’t hesitate to contact us if you suspect that leaks are costing you.

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