What Is Duct Restoration and How Can It Help My Home?
Clean air ducts provide a wealth of benefits. First, it boosts the air quality within your home. Second, it helps your HVAC system run efficiently throughout the year. Keeping your ducts clean is important, but there’s more to it than that.
Duct cleaning is one part of a well-maintained HVAC system. Additional services like duct maintenance, duct repairs, duct restoration, and duct sealing are equally beneficial. A Department of Energy report states that duct leakage is an almost universal issue in HVAC systems, regardless of the age of the house or HVAC system. It’s believed that 9 out of 10 systems need their ducts sealed or repaired.
The alarming part of these statistics is that even newer systems showed signs of inadequate ducts. Your new system may not be working as efficiently as it should. Have you had your air ducts checked? It’s time.
What Are the Benefits of Duct Restoration?
The Department of Energy paper found that after duct sealing and insulation were improved in a duct restoration job, cooling capacity increased by 32% and the system’s efficiency by as much as 41%. Can you imagine having your HVAC system’s energy bills slashed by 41%? It’s a huge savings.
Energy savings is just a start. It also improves the quality of your indoor air. When ducts are full of mildew and mold, it’s going to increase your allergies and even trigger asthma attacks if you have asthma. It can also make it harder to breathe if you have other respiratory problems like COPD.
The mold itself can cause health issues. If you’re in a home where mold is growing in the ducts, you may not realize it. Over time, your body may build up a sensitivity to mold spores leading to more severe allergies. Some of the common symptoms of mold allergies include headaches, fatigue, watery eyes, sinus issues, sneezing, difficulty breathing, and skin rashes and itchiness. Duct restoration stops this from happening.
Finally, duct restoration helps prevent excessive wear and tear on your system. When your HVAC system works efficiently, the components like fans and circulator pumps are not being overworked.
What Are Duct Restoration Services?
Duct restoration covers a number of services that extend beyond a typical cleaning. During duct restoration, the ducts are cleaned to remove any mold, dirt, fur, debris, dander, pollen, and other contaminants.
Once the ducts are clean, any holes or cracks in the ductwork are repaired using a duct sealant or product that’s designed to fill any issue and prevent the loss of air and HVAC pressure within the ducts. If mold is a problem, a coating to kill and prevent mold and mildew might be recommended.
Why Not Do It Yourself?
You’ve been in the hardware store and noticed duct sealant cans or a duct sealing kit. You’ve seen duct cleaning kits, too. They seem so much cheaper than professional services, so why not do it yourself and save money?
We get it. The cost of living is high and people are looking to save money wherever they can. The problem here is that if you mess up, it could become far more expensive than if you hired a professional. Your duct sealing job could end up needing entire sections of duct replaced. The cost of duct replacements averages $3,500. It can be far more depending on the size and type of duct material.
One of the biggest reasons to not do a duct restoration project on your own is that you could end up voiding your warranty. Is it worth it? If the 10-year warranty on your compressor was voided by turning duct restoration into a DIY project, the average cost of a compressor replacement is $1,200.
It’s best to choose a licensed HVAC who is NATE certified. NATE stands for North American Technician Excellence and provides training and certification programs for excellence in HVAC service and installations.
How Can You Tell When Your Ducts Need Servicing?
What are the signs that your ducts need servicing? There are several things to watch for or times when it’s important.
Unusual Smells Coming From Your Vents
Do you smell something weird when your heat or AC runs? If a rodent gets into your ducts and dies, the odor can be off-putting and even hazardous. Mold and mildew are other smells you might notice coming from your vents. It’s important to have them cleaned and restored to eliminate odors and potential health issues.
Uneven Cooling or Heating
Do you have rooms where it’s not cooling or heating effectively? One level of your home is fine, but the other is way too warm or cold. There may be a leak in the ducts that’s causing issues. It’s important to have the ducts inspected and restored to like new status.
Recent Upgrades or Renovations
Home renovations and upgrades create a lot of dust. Dust from sanding, paint fumes, and even cutting wood flooring planks can get into the ducts. A professional should clean your ducts to ensure no particles of wood, stone, or other building materials remain.
Recent House Fire
If you had a kitchen fire, chimney fire, or any other type of house fire, duct cleaning is important. The smoke and soot cling to everything. If they’re in your ducts, each time a heating or cooling cycle occurs, soot and odors circulate into the air you’re breathing. You also need to change the air filter.
Noticeable Mold Growth
Have you cleaned your vents and noticed mold growth? If there is mold in your ducts, it’s important to arrange for duct cleaning and restoration services. Mold can become a major issue for your health, so don’t mess around or try to clean it yourself.
Increased Energy Bills Despite Maintenance
You have your HVAC system maintained each year, yet your bills keep increasing. If you’ve done everything to lower your bills and they keep going up, have your ducts inspected. Even a small pinhole can result in warm or cold air escaping into a basement or attic instead of where it’s supposed to go.
Increased Allergies
Are your allergies worse when you’re in your home? If you go outside and find your symptoms diminish, there’s something in your home triggering allergies, and mold and mildew are the most likely cause.
If there is mold growing in your ducts, it’s a big problem. Each time warm or cold air is blown through the ducts and into the rooms in your home, the mold spores enter your environment. Duct restoration addresses mold and prevents it from happening.
Give Air Blue a Call
Air Blue Heating and Cooling Inc. are NATE-certified specialists offering a full range of duct services in Chicagoland and the surrounding suburbs. We’re licensed, insured, and bonded and are happy to talk to you about duct restorations.
Aeroseal duct sealing is a long-term solution that doesn’t create a mess or damage your ducts. The duct sealing is done with the guidance of computer software and seals the interior of the ducts in all areas. It’s so effective that it’s warrantied for a full decade. Learn more by reaching Air Blue Heating and Cooling Inc. online or by phone.
