Could Your Ductwork Be Leaking Air? Check for These 5 Signs in Your Norfolk VA Home
If your Norfolk VA home has leaking ductwork, it can cause you to have problems both heating and cooling your home. This can lead to a sharp rise in the amount that you pay for electricity and it can also lead to lower indoor air quality. While it is important to have your ducts looked at as soon as you notice a problem, it is also important that you have a factory authorized dealer work on any AC related repairs.
A factory authorized dealer is a company with technicians that have been specifically trained to work on your particular air conditioning equipment and ductwork. By having someone with extensive training and experience working on your air conditioning system, your repairs will be quicker and your system will be far less likely to give you trouble later.
If you are concerned that the ductwork in your Norfolk VA home is leaking, here are five symptoms to check for:
Uneven Cooling or Heating
If you notice that certain rooms or areas in your home are not the same temperature as others, it may indicate that your ducts are leaking. When you have leaky ducts, warm and cool air can move in and out of your ducts and therefore rooms in your home. This often means that the air from your heater or air conditioner is mixed with outside air, diluting their effectiveness.
Increasing Power Bills
Another common sign of leaky ducts is steadily increasing power bills. While it is not uncommon to see the amount of your power bills increase during the summer, they should not continue to increase or stay them same as the weather cools down. Additionally, if you notice that your electricity costs are rising even when it is not warming up outside, it is an indication that your ducts are having problems. As mentioned, when your ducts leak, air from the outside mixes with the air blowing through your ducts. This means that your air conditioner and heater have to work harder, therefore driving up the amount of electricity you use.
Poor Air Quality
Heaters and air conditioners have built-in air filters to keep debris out of the air in your home. However, when outside air enters through leaky vents, most air filters and filtration systems cannot handle the additional influx of containments, pollen and allergens. In addition to suffering from allergies or asthma more, when your air ducts are leaking, you may also notice that your air filters need replacing more often and that they get far dirtier.
Repeated AC and Heater Repairs
If your air conditioner or heater is having to work overtime to make up for lost cold and hot air, it can lead to problems with your heating and cooling equipment. Additionally, as heaters and air conditioners have to blow through and filter out a large amount of extra debris in your air, it can prevent your them from working correctly. If you find that you are constantly having to have one or both systems repaired, your issues may be coming from or caused by leaking ductwork. Having a factory authorized dealer can ensure that your system is checked thoroughly and everything is repaired at once.
Hissing Noises When Your AC is Running
When your heater or air conditioner comes on, if you hear hissing noises or sounds like air escaping, it may be air leaving your vents through leaks. You may also notice that it is louder when your heater or air conditioner first comes on. Depending on where the leaks are, you may also hear the hissing or similar noises in particular parts of your home, but not others.