Air Duct Sealing 101: All You Need to Know

Learn the significance of air duct sealing for your HVAC.

We are all familiar with air duct cleaning, the HVAC system, and all that jazz. However, how many of us know about air duct sealing? Some might not even know that it’s a thing. But, air duct sealing is just as important as air duct cleaning when it comes to keeping the air around you safe and clean.

Your HVAC unit is an essential part of your home that ensures you have a comfortable environment. For it to work properly, its parts are required to be in good working order, such as the power, the air ducts, etc.

Your air ducts, in particular, play an important role in distributing air to and from the HVAC system and all over your home. They should be free from dust and dirt that accumulate from everyday use, and, more importantly, they should be sealed tight. And that’s where air duct sealing comes in.

But why should you bother with air duct sealing? What is it? In this blog, you’ll learn everything you need to know about air duct sealing.

What is Air Duct Sealing

Air duct sealing is the method of sealing your air ducts, hence the name. This helps prevent leaks or gaps in the ducts. Your ducts should be sealed tightly and free from leaks for air to safely pass through. If not, warm or cold air from your HVAC will escape out of the ducts. These can cause issues to your household, such as reduced indoor air quality, poor equipment efficiency, and speeding up HVAC deterioration.

Studies show that leaks and gaps in your air ducts can make your HVAC system work harder than usual. In doing so, they use up more power and thus increase your electric bills. You’re technically paying for air that you don’t even get to use or enjoy because it ends up leaking out. Additionally, you should be more alert for leak issues in your air ducts during summer or winter. Since those are the seasons where you use your HVAC the most.

Leakage from your air ducts can happen over time. Sometimes, air duct cleaning done incorrectly can also damage your air ducts, resulting in leaks, tears, and gaps. This is one of the reasons why cleaning your air ducts yourself is a bad idea. If you don’t have the skill or equipment to do the cleaning properly and safely, it’s best to leave that to the professionals.

It's important that you perform air leak checks on your HVAC system on top of your regular air duct cleaning schedules.

Testing Air Ducts for Leakage

It’s recommended that you ask help from a professional to check if your air ducts have leaks in them. This is because they have the skills and knowledge for the job. Thanks to that, they know what signs to look out for to tell them if there’s a leak or not. Not only that, but they also have equipment and resources to ensure that the results they are receiving are accurate.

However, if you want to know if you have leaks in your air ducts yourself before calling for help, you can. Here’s what you can do to check for air duct leaks yourself.

• If the weather is cold or windy, turn off all combustion appliances
• Close all your windows, doors, and chimney flues
• Turn on all your exhaust fans, like in the bathroom, stove, and any fan that can carry air outside
• Carry a lit incense stick and pass through vents that should blow air into your home. If you notice that the smoke wavers or is sucked into the vent, that means there’s a leak present

Air duct sealing plays an important role in your HVAC system. Unfortunately, it’s one of the most overlooked aspects when it comes to anything regarding your HVAC. To prevent paying for air you’re not using and improve your air quality and HVAC efficiency, air duct sealing is a must.

If you think that your air ducts have leaks in them, be sure to give us a call! Our capable team at Grand Rapids Duct Cleaners will be more than happy to be of assistance.