The condition of the duct system can affect your home’s indoor air quality and overall comfort. That’s why duct inspection needs to be part of home maintenance, and should also be done before purchasing a home.
Cooper Bros, a top-rated air conditioner replacement expert, further discusses the importance of duct inspection below.
If you’re thinking of buying a home, there are two basic things about its ductwork that you need to check: age or condition and location.
Ductwork typically lasts around 10 years, but since ducting doesn’t come with a label to let you conveniently determine its age, you have to go by the age of the home or refer to the condition of the ductwork to get an idea of how long the ducting has been there. Sagging, cracking or disconnection at the joints of the ductwork are obviously not good signs. Cracks and disconnected joints can permit debris from the attic to reach your indoor living space and cause cooled air to be lost to your attic space, as well, resulting in poor energy efficiency.
Duct maintenance is also important. However, this can be difficult to do if the ducts are poorly located. For example, in multi-family homes like condos and townhouses, ductwork is usually found in the walls. This location makes it very difficult to access the ductwork, even for air conditioner repair experts. It certainly takes a lot of extra effort to maintain the ducts in such locations.
Keep in mind that any particles present in your ductwork can flow into your home and contaminate your indoor air once your HVAC system is turned on. Of course, if you’re breathing in polluted indoor air, you’re putting your health at risk.
In addition to potentially affecting your health, debris in your ductwork can cause obstructions in the airflow of your HVAC system. These blockages can force the system to double its effort and work harder and longer in order to provide the heating or cooling that you need. This will eventually affect your home’s indoor comfort and possibly increase your energy consumption.
As an industry-leading HVAC company, Cooper Bros can provide you with exceptional services. We specialize in air quality, HVAC maintenance, duct repair and more. Call us at (408) 649-2008 or fill out our contact form to request a free quote.