Leaky ducts - what causes them and how to deal with it?

We all know how uncomfortable it is to live without a properly working air conditioner especially when hot days are in full swing. Air ducts are the ducts that are responsible to carry the cool air in the home and work to provide the consistent cooling in every corner of the home. Sometimes we don’t feel the sufficient coolness due to the leaky ducts. To achieve the maximum efficiency of the air conditioners it is important that air ducts are properly sealed. The registers and air ducts are highly prone to leakages. This leakage put your cooling system to undue stress.

Consequences of the leaky duct:

• High utility bills- Your air conditioner will have to work harder when there is a leakage in the ducts. To maintain the required temperature your air conditioner will have to work for a longer duration which will increase its electricity consumption resulting in high utility bills.
• More frequent repairs- Continuously running air conditioner is highly prone to the wear and tear. No matter how old or new your system is, it will demand more repairs and you will have to call your technician many times for the job. This will raise your expenses which could otherwise be avoided.
• Bad air quality- Leaky ducts can suck the dirt and debris and can spread it in your home. Dirty air in the home can cause many respiratory troubles for the dwellers like asthma and allergies.
• Clogged filters- The dust particles that get sucked up by the small leakages can further clog the air filters. Due to the bad air quality, your air filters will get dirty sooner and you will need to replace them frequently.
• Inconsistent cooling – Your system will work inefficiently when there is any leakage in the ducts. Some places in your home will be cooler than the other places.

Detecting the leak in the ducts:

Locating leak in the ducts is not a very difficult task. It is necessary that you seal all the registers, returns and vents before starting the process. This sealing will pressurize the duct system and if there is a leak then it will be easily visible. To seal the registers you can secure a plastic wrap with a tape from all the sides. Make sure that all the registers are as tight as possible.

After sealing the registers connect the smoke machine through the ductwork. Seal it properly and don’t let the smoke go anywhere else but inside of the ducts. Then turn on the fan of your air conditioner. You will see the smoke coming out from the leakage. This is the easiest way to spot the leakages.

Fixing the leaks:

After detecting the leaks in the ductwork it is important to seal it. Let's see how we can seal it:

1. Seal the ducts- Leaks are commonly found near the air conditioner or near the registers. Use mastic and apply it very thick on the leaks after wearing the gloves on your hand. This will seal the ducts.
2. Duct tapes- You can also use duct tapes. Though they are not very efficient yet they are effective enough to stop the leakage for a little while. Ducts tapes erode quickly so it is necessary that you keep changing them from time to time.
3. Insulation- After covering the leaks, wrap the ductwork as tightly as possible with R6 backed insulation. Insulation helps to check the leakage in the future and it also increases the efficiency of the unit.

When it comes to you in Glendale, you can not do some of the work by your own, you need to call for experts like Glendale AC Repair technicians to handle all your issues related to you ac, ductwork or anything that you can ask.