Your HVAC system has to be completely airtight in order for heat to reach your home effectively. You may think about your furnace and even your ductwork having seals that need to be maintained, but you also need to consider your vents.
If you hear a crackling sound in a vent in your home, that’s a red flag that the vents are not sealed properly and heat is escaping before reaching the rooms. You can keep reading to learn more about the problem with unsealed vents and what our team can do about it.
Maximizing Airflow
There is a reason that airtight seals are so crucial for your HVAC system. In the summer, it has to cool your home. In the winter, it has to heat your home. The more air that escapes through cracks and crevices, the harder your HVAC system ends up working to produce results. If there are broken seals around your vents, heat will escape just before blowing into your home.
Experts estimate that if just 20% of air escapes between being heated or cooled and reaching your home, your energy costs could increase by as much as 50%. That means unsealed vents could cost you 50% more on your energy bills each month. And even with higher energy bills, your home still may not be as comfortable as you would like.
Increased Strain on Your HVAC System
Broken seals around your air vents don’t just cost you money on your energy bills. They also add strain to your heater and air conditioner. When the right amount of air doesn’t blow into your home, the temperature does not change as quickly. Your HVAC system may stay on longer or turn on more frequently as your thermostat continues signaling that the desired temperature has not been reached.
When your HVAC system uses more power to produce results and stays on for longer cycles, it takes on more wear and tear. During maintenance appointments, you may have more things that need to be addressed, ultimately costing you more on repairs. And even when you keep up with regular tune-ups, some of that wear and tear cannot be reversed. Your air conditioner and heater may each have shorter lifespans than what is considered average.
Duct Sealing
You can avoid all of these problems by scheduling a duct sealing appointment. Our team can pressurize all the ductwork to repair holes and broken seams. We can also check around each of your air vents to make sure that the ducts are secured properly to provide optimal airflow.
The crackling sound made by loose ductwork is a giveaway that something is loose. When you can hear the crackling near the surface of an air vent it usually means that the holes or broken seals are close to that individual vent.
Crackling is okay to hear for a few seconds when temperatures are changing because it signals that the thin material is expanding or contracting with this change. But hearing crackling that continues without stopping while your AC or heater is on is a red flag.
To schedule service for sealing your vents contact Premier HVAC Services today!