Signs It’s Time To Replace Your Air Ducts

Air ducts for your HVAC system carry heated or cooled air throughout your home. These ducts play a key role in helping various HVAC components function in an efficient way. But, if your air ducts are older, damaged, the wrong size, or no longer easy to maintain, it may be time to replace them. We will go over the signs to look for to decide if replacing your air ducts is worth considering.

A Noisy HVAC System

It’s not unusual for an HVAC system to make some noise as it cycles. Even so, the noises shouldn’t be very loud or distracting. If this is the case, your HVAC ductwork may be vibrating and contributing to other sounds. Possible causes include:

• Damaged duct joints
• Holes in air ducts
• Poor duct installation

High Utility Bills

Air escapes to some degree with all HVAC ducts as heated and cooled air circulates in your home. But if you’re losing more than 20 percent of circulated air you’ll likely see higher utility bills. This is when it’s time to replace your ducts, or at least find out how the air is escaping. The spike in energy bills comes from the need to turn your thermostat up higher. This helps to compensate for the air loss and achieve the desired temperature.

Uneven Heating or Cooling

Another sign you may see when it’s time to replace your air ducts is rooms that are colder or hotter than others. This can be the result of faulty ductwork. If this is the case, flaws or holes in your ducts can let air escape, which results in uneven heating or cooling. An easy way to verify if this is the case is to use a handheld thermometer. Go to each room and record the temperature. If you get noticeable differences in certain rooms or areas, it’s a possible sign of air duct issues.

An Assortment of Health-Related Concerns

Poor-quality HVAC ducts can also contribute to many different health-related problems. For instance, air ducts with leaks and holes allow more dust to accumulate and spread in your home. In turn, you may notice more allergy symptoms or other respiratory issues. Ducts that need a replacement can also be a source of health-related concerns. These health-related concerns could relate to:

• Mold and mildew from uneven household temperatures
• Pest issues from pests getting into holes or openings in air ducts
• More contaminants getting into circulated air through duct flaws

Misaligned or Tangled Ductwork

Ducts can have flaws of this nature if they have damage from heavy items. Misalignment, tangling, or kinking can occur if air ducts were not installed right. This is especially true for ducts installed in basements, garages, or attics. For example, your ducts may have twisted or bent to conform to certain aspects of your home’s layout. The potential problem is these oddities can restrict flow. This contributes to other duct-related issues.

Very Old Air Ducts

Age can affect all parts of your HVAC system, including your air ducts. So, one other sign it’s time to replace your ducts is how old they are. Plus, if you have older ducts in an older home, you may have asbestos still in place around your ductwork. Newer air ducts are often installed with much safer materials that are easier to take care of over time. A new installation uses methods in line with today’s standards. This helps to improve the efficiency of your HVAC system.

Call Us Today

Having issues with your air ducts doesn’t always mean it’s time to replace them. When you contact Thornton Heating Services, you’ll receive an honest assessment and opinion. If it’s best to replace your air ducts, we’ll get the work done in an affordable and efficient manner. Contact an HVAC professional from our local team today to schedule an appointment.