Signs Your Ductwork is Getting Old

The ductwork in your home plays a crucial role in your home’s forced air cooling and heating system. They are responsible for delivering conditioned air to rooms and then routing the spent air back to the HVAC system to be cooled and heated again. However, do you know what happens when the ducts start to deteriorate? The fact is, old ductwork can hamper the work of an HVAC system and may lead to your home’s air being contaminated. If that is the situation, it is crucial that homeowners know the signs that their ductwork is old, or aging. When they notice these signs, they will know it is time to have them repaired or replaced.

Signs that Your Home’s Ductwork is Old

The good news is, you don’t have to guess if your home’s ductwork is old. There are a number of signs that there is a problem, which includes:  

• How old are the ducts? This factor is pretty easy to determine. You know how old your ducts are because you know when (or approximately when) your home was built. As long as you have never replaced it, the ductwork that is delivering conditioned air to your home is the same.

• Are there signs of damage? Have you looked at the exposed sections of your ductwork? Do you notice any corrosion or rust? Or, do you see any old duct tape falling away from the connections? There may even be sections of the ducts that are hanging or loose. If any of these signs of disrepair are noticed, then it is time to have your ducts replaced.

• Are your energy costs going up? Have you begun to notice that your energy costs are going up unexpectedly the past few years? Are you unsure of why this is happening? The fact is, most energy rates remain relatively stable and if you don’t change what you use, then your bill should remain the same. In most cases, these increased costs are going to be the result of loose or leaky ducts.

• Is the temperature inconsistent from one room to another? Have you noticed that the force of the air emerging from the vents is inconsistent from one room to the next? If so, this may be the result of the ducts running to some rooms being blocked or leaking.

Don’t Wait to Have Your Ducts Replaced

If your ductwork is faulty, it can reduce the energy efficiency of your home as cooled or heated air leaks into unconditioned areas such as the crawl space, attic, garage, or even wall cavities. Your equipment is going to have to work harder than ever before to make up for the lost air. Backdrafting may also occur if ducts are leaky, which is when contaminated air is sucked into the ducts and distributed throughout your home. If you have noticed any of the signs of old or faulty ductwork in your home, don’t wait to call the professionals for repair or replacement.