In winter, your ductwork transfers warm air from your furnace to all the rooms in your Lumberton, North Carolina, home. If your house is more than a few decades old, you may need to have a professional replace some or all of your ducts. If you notice strange noises, high utility bills, poor indoor air quality or lots of drafts, you might need to replace your ductwork before winter.
Strange Noises
If you hear lots of banging, rattling or whistling sounds, your ductwork could be imbalanced or undersized. You could also have a leak. If your system struggles to push air through an opening that’s too small or your ducts have leaks, you could hear squealing or noises from loose screws. Scurrying sounds could be pests like mice or cockroaches in your ductwork.
An experienced HVAC service technician can check your ducts for problems and repair them if needed. They can also help you design a new duct system. If you only hear an occasional noise, your ducts are probably expanding or contracting from normal temperature changes. Even if you don’t notice any problems, you should have them checked every few years to keep your system operating at peak efficiency.
High Utility Bills
If your power bills are increasing, leaks in your ductwork or a design that’s not right for your home could be the cause. Even strong, well-made ducts will eventually become disconnected, tear or collapse. You could also have a clogged air filter, a malfunctioning thermostat or another problem. You’ll have to use more energy to stay comfortable, and you’ll have to replace your HVAC system sooner because of increased wear and tear.
Replacing your ducts or making repairs can be a major expense. But the power savings will be worth it. You can also avoid expensive, inconvenient HVAC breakdowns.
Poor Indoor Air Quality
Holes or gaps in your ductwork can let conditioned air escape without going through your HVAC system’s air filter. More pollutants, like dust, dirt, pollen, pet dander and biological growth, will stay in your home’s air. You or your family members could experience headaches, sinus problems, eye irritation, rashes, or allergy or asthma symptoms. You might also notice musty or rotting smells or increased dust on your furniture and floors.
The same contaminants in your home’s air can build up in your ductwork over time, restricting its airflow and lowering the air quality in your entire home. Getting rid of the microorganisms in your ducts can be difficult. Replacing dirty or broken ductwork is easier and safer than a cleaning or repair, especially if you have asthma or allergies. It can help you keep biological growth in your ducts from impacting your health or spreading to other parts of your home like your insulation or carpeting.
Lots of Drafts
If some areas or rooms in your home are always chilly in winter, you could have a leak or a blockage in your ductwork that’s keeping conditioned air from getting where it’s needed. You could also notice that those rooms take a while to get warm and your HVAC system stays on longer than normal. New ductwork with an efficient design will let you keep all your rooms comfortable without making some areas too warm or cold.
If you choose ductwork with dampers to direct conditioned air where you need it, you can use zoning to set different temperatures in different rooms. Multiple thermostats or thermometers connected to a programmable thermostat let people choose the temperatures they prefer in their bedrooms. You can also avoid heating empty rooms. As a result, you’ll reduce energy waste and increase your savings on monthly utility bills.
Bass Air Conditioning Company is a Carrier Factory Authorized Dealer with more than 60 years of HVAC experience. We’ve also earned the Carrier Distinguished Dealer Award. We can help you design and install new ductwork to keep your family comfortable. For excellent service from our honest, friendly service technicians, call us at (910) 672-8885 .
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