You’ve had your air conditioner running steadily for a few months at this point, so you’ve already had a chance to see what your summer utility bills look like. Have they been noticeably higher this month? As we’ve pointed out before, this often indicates a repair need in the air conditioning system. We strongly recommend calling us for repairs as soon as possible: we’ll find out what’s wrong and fix it so that not only will your bills drop, but you’ll be in less danger of the air conditioner failing on you during a hot late summer day.
However, we may discover something outside of the AC unit itself is the source of those high bills. Another part of the HVAC system that frequently “steals” money from you without you realizing it is the ductwork.
Air Leaks in the Ducts Are a Major Problem
You can’t see most of the ducts in your home, and that’s the way you want it. But this does have the effect of making it harder to see how ductwork can decline, suffer wear from air pressure, and even corrode and loosen duct section. Air leaks are a common issue in ducts, especially ones that were not well installed (which is unfortunately many of them).
“What’s the trouble with a few air leaks in the ducts?” you might wonder. Fair question, and the answer is “quite a lot.” Studies have shown that up to 30% of the air moving through ductwork can be lost to air leaks. That’s almost a third of the air the AC has already expended energy to cool that ends up slipping out gaps and into places where it doesn’t do any good. (Why would anybody want to cool down the space between the walls?) This is why air leaks in ducts can spike utility bills so high: your air conditioner must work harder—up to 30% harder—to make up for the cooled air lost to leaks. A lot of extra money spent to no benefit.
And there’s more trouble! An air conditioning system working harder than it should … that’s not good for the air conditioner. Imagine your car engine working 30% harder than normal; it would wear down quickly and you’d end up needing to get a new vehicle far sooner than you should. The same applies to an air conditioning system. It’s costly to replace an air conditioner too early. The extra wear and tear also means you’ll spend more on repairs up until you have to replace the AC.
Air leaks can also cause a loss of cooling power: air pressure in the ventilation system drops, airflow turns sluggish, and rooms will start to feel warmer than they should.
Schedule Professional Duct Sealing
To schedule duct testing and sealing in Fenton, MI and the surrounding areas, we’re the contractor to work with. We repair all parts of a home’s HVAC system, including the ductwork. Once we test the ducts to locate the leaks, we’ll use the best professional equipment to seal up the entire ventilation system.
We don’t focus on constant upgrades and costly replacements, but on the proper preventive and repair services to keep your comfort system in top shape.
First Choice Heating & Cooling serves Fenton, Linden, Holly, and the Surrounding Areas. If Your Home Had a Voice, It Would Call First Choice!