Your duct system is a very vital part of your heating and cooling system. Your duct system ensures all of the air that your HVAC system creates is properly delivered to your entire home. The cleanliness of your duct system affects the overall quality of the air in your home as well. It is important to be able to spot the signs that your duct systems needs to be repaired or cleaned.
1. Your Room Does Not Heat or Cool Evenly
When you turn on your air conditioning, each room in your home should cool down at about the same rate. For example, your living room should cool off at the same rate as your back bedroom. Your living room should not be stuffy and hot while your back bedroom feels freezing cold.
Often when one room seems to heat or cool at a different rate than the rest of the house, it is because of an issue with your duct system. If there is a broken seal along the path of your duct system to a particular room, or if that portion of duct work is corroded or damaged in any way, the damage can cause a room to heat improperly.
2. Your Energy Bill Has Increased Unexpectedly
Your energy bill should stay pretty consistent when compared to the same time last year. You may see slight seasonal differences when, for example, when the weather is warmer or colder than it was at the same point in time last year. Overall, when using the same HVAC system, you should use about the same amount of energy every month compared to the same period the previous year.
If you suddenly notice a large spike or increase in the amount of energy you are using, the issue most likely lies with your HVAC system, often inside your ducts.
When your duct system is damaged, the proper amount of air is not delivered to each room and each room in your house does not reach the ideal temperature you have your thermostat set at. This causes your entire HVAC system to be put into overdrive to try to cool or heat your house, which can drive up your energy bills.
3. Your Indoor Air Quality Has Decreased
Your HVAC system has a filter on it designed to take out contaminants and improve the overall air quality of your home. This filter must be cleaned and changed on a regular basis. If excessive dirt is allowed to build up on the air filter within your HVAC system, all of that dirt is going to have to go someplace.
Air filters that are not replaced on time cause dirt and contaminants to get into your duct work and into your home. Overtime, due to improperly changing the air filter in your home, your ductwork can become quite dirty. Even when you change out a dirty filter, if you don’t clean your duct work, all the dirt that got into your duct work is still going to end up in your lungs.
Also, check the return air registers in your home. If they are covered in dust or look dirty, that is another sign that your overall duct work system is not as clean as you think it is.
If you feel like the air quality of your home has decreased lately, it may be because your duct work is dirty. Having your ducts professionally cleaned, as well as the air filter to your HVAC system replaced, are two very important steps you can take to improve the overall quality of air in your home.
Call Today for Duct Repair in Charleston
Don’t put off servicing your ducts. If you have noticed a dip in the efficiency of your heating or cooling system or suspect that your air ducts need a thorough cleaning, be sure to contact a professional from Charleston Heating and Air today. When you call, be sure to ask us about our Preventative Maintenance Program so that you never have to worry about forgetting to schedule service!
Contact Charleston Heating and Air for assistance with any duct and HVAC-related assistance your home needs.
