AC, Heating and Plumbing Tips

The Symptoms of Air Duct Leakage

If you’re a Houston resident, you know you’ll be using your air conditioning more and more as we head into the cruel months of summer, which means your air ducts will be working harder and harder.

Out of all the parts of your home’s air conditioning system, the air ducts, which move and distribute air throughout the rooms, are the most essential part when it comes to keeping you cool. This collection of tunnels and tubes needs to be in tip top shape to effectively carry the air from your AC unit to the rest of your home. Air duct leakage will essentially render your AC unit useless.

Symptoms of worn or damaged air ducts include:

• Higher than normal monthly electricity bills
• Aggravated allergies or asthmatic symptoms
• Excess of dirt throughout the home
• Unbalanced temperatures throughout the home

Let’s take a closer looks at each of these symptoms.

Higher Bills

During summer in Houston your electric bill is going to go up, of course. But if you’re noticing even higher bills than normal, and your AC seems to kick on more often than usual, it’s possible a leak or tear in an air duct line is sending much needed cool air into your attack instead of your living areas. As the air is misrouted, the AC unit repeatedly will activate in an attempt to regulate the warmer temperatures elsewhere in your home, resulting in unnecessarily high bills.

Aggravated Allergies

When your AC has cooled the interior of your home, warm and moist air from outdoors can be sucked in through a damaged air duct. When that air hits the chilled walls of your home, it can condense, creating moisture that can mildew and mold over time. This is a particular concern in humid climates, like Houston.

Breathing in mold is dangerous, especially for children and the elderly. Coughing, sneezing and other allergic symptoms, including difficulty breathing, may indicate air duct leakage or other related issues.

Unbalanced Temps

Have you ever noticed your bedroom is significantly hotter than your living room, or your kitchen is definitely warmer than your bathroom? Spooky, huh? While there are many factors that can contribute to a home’s fluctuating temperatures, there’s a good chance that air duct leakage is the cause of the problem. A tear in a duct that leads to one room will cause all the cold air to spill out of the line before it can enter the desired room. Uneven flow creates pressure differences in some rooms, causing some to be hot while others are left frigid.

Dirt

When air flows through an air duct that’s been torn or has holes in it, contaminants are sucked up into the line and spewed out through your air vents, polluting the air you breathe and covering the interior of your home with dust and dirt. In addition to making your home dirtier, the resulting air can make you sneeze or cause difficulty in breathing.

Fixing the Problem

If you are experiencing any of the above, it’s time to have a professional check your air ducts. The technicians at Hartford Services have over 20 years of experience in home AC repair in Houston. We know the right tests to perform and the best methods for detecting any and all problems with your air ducts.

Before your spend money on a new AC unit, request an appointment with Hartford Services.