Winter is the worst time for your home’s ducts to be leaking. At the same time that you’re trying to get warm air distributed throughout your house, it’s actually leaking, often into areas that don’t need it. That means you end up paying to have your attic and crawlspaces heated. To make sure you avoid this problem, implement some duct sealing strategies.

Not all your ducts will be accessible but you can make significant improvements by just repairing the ones you can reach. These will likely be in your attic, basement or crawlspaces. First look for gaps between individual ducts. These should be tightened using the metal straps around them. Despite the misleading name, don’t use duct tape, as this will begin to peel off within a few months. Instead, use foil or butyl tape as they are more heat-resistant.

Insulating ducts that are located in an unconditioned area can also help make your home more efficient. You can lose up to 40 percent of warm air to heat transfer that occurs as the air is being distributed. When the air passes through a part of the ductwork in an unheated area – like the attic – the warm air will naturally transfer out of the ducts. Insulation around the ducts themselves, as well as proper attic insulation, will prevent this from happening.

Duct sealing can help you save more than 20 percent on your energy bills. It will also help your home reach your ideal temperature more quickly and help to extend the longevity of your air system.

To learn more about duct sealing strategies, contact Hoff Heating & A/C, Inc.today. We have proudly served St. Charles County and the surrounding area since 1983.

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

Hoff Heating & A/C, Inc services St. Charles County and the surrounding region, including portions of Warren, Lincoln and St. Louis counties. Visit our website to see our special offers and get started today!   

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