Though it they may not seem like much, the ducts in your home play a vital role in helping your central air conditioner operate properly. So, when those ducts develop problems, it can have a pretty substantial negative effect on the air conditioning system. It is just as important to keep your ducts in good repair as it is to keep your air conditioner healthy. Don’t believe us? Read on to find out just how important duct sealing is to your air conditioner efficiency.
Energy Losses
Though they may look sturdy, ducts are actually remarkably fragile in many ways. Duct leaks can form quite easily, either from mistakes made during installation or years of natural expansion and contraction. Once formed, duct leaks contribute to massive energy losses from the air conditioner. The U.S. Department of Energy estimates that as much as 30% of a forced air system’s output is lost on average to duct leaks. That translates to a significant spike in air conditioner operating costs.
Duct Sealing
The best way to address this problem is through a process called duct sealing. Duct sealing is when an HVAC technician closely examines your ducts to find all leaks in the network. Then, the leaks are painted over with a substance called “mastic.” This is a viscous substance with a consistency similar to sheetrock. Once dry, the mastic will seal the leak while remaining flexible enough to move with the ducts without cracking. Just conducting simple duct sealing is enough to improve the efficiency of most air conditioning systems by a massive amount. If you’re looking for a way to get the most out of your air conditioner this summer, duct sealing is an excellent option.
If you haven’t had your ducts sealed before, call Total Comfort Inc. We provide duct sealing services throughout Corona, CA.