Ductwork is essentially your home’s circulatory system. Just like any other equipment in your home, it may need to be replaced at some point in time. So how will you know it’s the right time? Here are some tips to help you decide if it’s time for replacement.
Evaluate the Age of Your Ducts
No matter how resilient your air ducts may be, they won’t last forever. As a matter of fact, if they were installed during original construction of your home, most probably they weren’t of the greatest quality. Ducts were previously designed and constructed for low cost and not longevity. Generally, ductwork starts deteriorating after 10 years. If yours has lasted 10 years or more, you should consider replacing it.
Inspect Airflow in Your Rooms
If your air ducts are in top shape, airflow should be the same in all rooms. Visit each room when your furnace or air conditioning unit is running and check whether the airflow is consistent. If you notice any irregularities or temperature variations, there may be damage to certain sections of your ducts.
Visually Inspect Exposed Ducts
Inspect exposed ducts in places like your attic and crawl space for any cracks, holes, and tears. You should also look for deteriorating duct tape, loose connections, and disconnected joints.
Schedule a Duct Blower Test
After you’ve taken the steps above, you should contact an HVAC contractor and schedule a duct blower test. This test utilizes a blower fan to pressurize your ducts, an airflow sensor, and pressure sensors. A computer calculates how much airflow is required to maintain pressure. In the end, the test will determine the exact amount of air that leaks from your ductwork in comparison to the total airflow.
These four steps will help you know if your ductwork should be replaced. Timely replacement will help improve your HVAC system’s efficiency and your home’s indoor air quality. For more information, contact us at Hansberger Refrigeration and Electric Company. We’ve been serving the Yuma area for more than 60 years.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Yuma, Arizona about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about ductwork and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Guide or call us at 928-723-3183.
Credit/Copyright Attribution: “David Koscheck/Shutterstock”
