Air Ducts – How Do You Know When It

Your ducts are very old

If your home is more than 50 years old and still has the original ductwork, there is a chance your ducts may contain asbestos. Some older duct systems may have received asbestos treatment to remove this harmful content, but if you’re not sure, you should replace your ductwork for the health and safety of your family.

Your duct system is poorly designed

If your duct system isn’t matched properly for the capacity of your heating and cooling units, or does not facilitate even heating and cooling throughout your home due to design flaws, you should consider replacement. Poorly designed duct systems have a negative impact on HVAC system efficiency, cause poor air flow, and hinder indoor comfort. Also, if your furnace or air conditioner was undersized at the time of duct installation and you’ll be replacing the systems with larger capacity systems, your ducts may require replacement or expansion to accommodate the new systems properly because the original duct system was designed to accommodate a lower capacity unit.

Your ducts leak

Duct leaks account for as much as 30% HVAC energy loss in the average home. If you are constantly repairing duct leaks, fixing disconnected section, and replacing damaged flexible ducts, consider replacing your duct system with new ducts which will improve your overall home efficiency. Duct leaks also allow a great deal of debris into your system, which move into your living areas and diminish your indoor air quality; replacing your duct system can improve indoor air quality and keep your living areas cleaner.