You probably don’t spare a lot of thought for your ducts, and that’s not surprising. Ducts in homes are designed to be rather inconspicuous, after all. The problem is that even if they are unobtrusive, ducts still play a vital role in your climate control systems. Without them, your furnace would have no way of circulating heat throughout your home. This makes neglecting your ducts a big problem. Read on to find out why you need to get your ducts sealed this winter.
Duct Leaks
Ducts are very susceptible to leaks, both during installation and after years of normal use. While individual leaks are usually small, they can add up quickly. In fact, the U.S. Department of Energy has estimated that forced air systems lose up to 30% of their total output to duct leaks. That’s almost a third of your entire heating system output that you are losing to duct leaks. Sealing your ducts during the winter not only makes your home more comfortable, but saves you money as well.
Duct Sealing
Duct sealing involves a couple of different steps. Usually, the first step is to paint mastic sealant into the leaks. Mastic is a type of resin-based epoxy that, once dry, is able to seal the duct without cracking. The mastic is then typically covered with special regulation duct tape, which helps to protect it and offer additional sealing. Duct sealing should be scheduled at least once a year, in order to make sure that any new leaks that form are dealt with in a timely manner. If you want your heater to operate at full capacity this winter, get your ducts sealed before you start using it on a daily basis.
If you need to have your ducts sealed, call Sunset Air. We serve all of Olympia, WA.
