While some homeowners may think the whole ductwork for HVAC issue may be a hoax, the truth is that ductwork does not get the attention it deserves. Often it becomes a forgotten tomb within the ceilings and walls of your home, and damage can throw your life out of whack. The role ductwork plays for your HVAC system is penultimate for living in a comfortable environment.
With cracking and holes, you could be losing warm or cool air that you want to circulate through your home. If you lose sleep at night due to annoying temperature variations or inconsistencies, ductwork could be the cause. If you get sick, or the air feels tight and stuffy, there could be something unwanted lurking in your ductwork. Whether it is causing you to spend more money to do its job, creating uneven temperatures throughout your home, or causing your family to breathe in harmful air, it is something you can fix.
Damaged ductwork for HVAC systems can happen in multiple ways. Usually, they are easily repairable by talented technicians such as your Accurate team. However, it’s good to know what’s really causing these damages to occur. Here are the 6 top causes of ductwork for HVAC damage:
1. Physical Damage
It could range from your home having structural damage to a home service company using inexperienced cleaners that ended up stepping on your ducts. If there is indentation or crushed material, this could allude to many problems such as leaking, cracking, or even loose connections.
Depending on where your ductwork for the HVAC system is located within your home, if you have water leaks, plumbing issues or any other type of weather damage, it could have an effect. Leaking water or structural failure could cause the ductwork to droop or even get crushed by boards or other items. Hopefully, you don’t store anything in your attic by resting items on your ductwork. They are not shelves!
2. Poor Installation
Ductwork can often be damaged due to poor installation tactics. This may have happened before you owned the house or property. If you hired a company to install ductwork for your HVAC system, hopefully, you did your due diligence of studying up on their resume. For instance, metal ductwork connected to a fiberglass flex duct or a different material may not be properly fused together. If the ductwork is poorly assembled or the company that built it didn’t provide quality work, this could be a reason why you sweat when you sleep. Where’s all the cool air going?
3. Age
Does it belong in your house or in a junkyard? If your ductwork is more than 20 years old you may want to think about replacement. Southern California brings extreme temperatures and weather elements to our neighborhoods. With the constant change in temperatures, it would be no surprise that the materials have some battle scars or worse yet, cracks and leaky areas where the air is escaping.
You know your home better than anyone else, but if it seems like your power bill is getting bigger and the air tastes smoggier than the normal Los Angeles County air or your temperature isn’t staying at a consistent comfort level, odds are the damage is already done.
4. Mold
Fungus can spread fast and bring unpredictable threats along with it. If you have mold buildup or a fungus garden growing in your ductwork, this is a serious health risk to you and your family. You probably wouldn’t want to see what it looks like inside your ductwork, but it’s a little more advanced than a collegiate science project.
Since mold is parasitic and can travel in air, it can affect more than just your health – which should be your number one concern. The mold can also start to grow on your drywall and damage the interior of your home. You don’t want the inside of your walls or ductwork to look like the Lost City of Atlantis.
If there are leaks or deposits of moisture, mold can find a way to thrive.
5. Leaks/Cracking
Bad connections with improper sealing can lead to trouble inside your ductwork. This could be a combination of poor installation and aging with wear and tear over time. Leaks and cracks can develop no matter what type of material your ductwork is made out of.
Metal ductwork can become rusted out or have holes, flex material can get soft and fail with the different elements of the weather, and plastic eventually becomes brittle. Due to our region in Southern California, there is also salt in the air that can have an effect on metal ductwork over time.
Leaks and cracks can cause your HVAC system to breakdown because your heating and air conditioning usually have to overcompensate for lost air. With damaged ductwork, you might end up overworking your HVAC system causing bigger issues. Don’t let it burnout!
6. Animal Damage
Last but not least, nature can find a way to mess with our lives no matter what we do. When LA County and Orange County are scorching with summer heat, rodents and critters like to find cool spots to hide away and relax. The next thing you know, there is a gang of chewing squirrels banging around in your ductwork at night. Sometimes they end up chewing holes in your ductwork or making some cracks bigger. Other times they may not find their way out and your ductwork really does end up becoming a tomb. This presents a health hazard. It does not take a rocket scientist to tell you that turning on your air conditioning and breathing in dead rat air is very, very bad.
These are some of the top causes of damages to your ductwork for HVAC system. If you suspect something is wrong with your ductwork or your air conditioning and heating system, you should call an Accurate professional today. Don’t wait until it becomes a bigger problem. We will give you answers and will provide you solutions to any ductwork issues you encounter.
