1 March 2018
 Categories: , Blog

Residential HVAC systems need to be taken care of you want to get the most out of them. That is, if you want to keep down your utility bills while also maintaining maximum productivity, you have to do a little bit of DIY maintenance. This article looks at one way that you can check and repair possible airflow issues. It is very common that air ducts will become loose and leaky over the years. There are going to be some exposed areas of ducting that you can tape, and possibly insulate, to increase your airflow.

Finding and Fixing Exposed Ducting

If you have a basement or attic, there is probably going to be a fair amount of exposed ducting in your house. That is, this is ducting that is not with inside the wall. While the majority is going to be inside your walls and impossible to access, you can do some basic work on the ducting sections that are on outside. Even if you don't have an attic or basement, there could be exposed sections directly attached to the furnace cabinet. All of the exposed duct sections are also going to be the most vulnerable parts of your entire system. They can get hit or knocked loose, causing them to leak air near the seams. Luckily, since they are accessible, they are also very easy to fix.

Taping Your Seams

First, you need to check your ducts to make sure to find the problem areas. The best way to do this is to turn on your heat or AC and hold your hand near the ducts. Wherever you feel airflow, you should probably tape the seams. However, some people tape the seams even if they appear to be tight in order to prevent future problems. You should use aluminum foil tape instead of traditional duct tape because it works better. It has a more airtight seal and permanent hold.

Adding Insulation Too?

Homeowners in cold climates will even often go a step further and add insulation to the exposed ducts. You can invest in affordable fiberglass insulation that you can easily wrap around your ducts. This can dramatically reduce heat loss, especially in cold basements in cold climates.

Adding tape and insulation to your air ducts is a very cheap and affordable way to increase airflow and reduce heat loss. It is a worthwhile investment if you want to bring down your monthly bills. For more information on maintenance for HVAC, contact your local contractor today.