It’s crucial for homeowners to thoroughly understand the inner workings of their property’s ductwork!
If your northern Utah home uses a central HVAC system to cool and heat your property, it means that taking proper care of your HVAC ductwork system is absolutely essential.
Residential ductwork networks are complex, and below we’ll be detailing everything you need to know about your home’s ductwork. This includes how ductwork systems function, how to maintain these systems, and how to recognize and resolve potential problems.
Basic Fundamentals of Residential HVAC Ducting
HVAC ductwork systems include both return and supply ducting. Air will move through the interior of your property during your heating and cooling cycles, and it’ll eventually reach your air conditioner or furnace through return ducts. Once the air is cooled or heated, it’ll be pushed through your supply ducting and distributed throughout your property.
Below are some of the basic fundamental components of HVAC ducting:
Ductwork Materials
Ducting is made of lightweight, durable materials, including:
- Fiberglass
- Polymer-coated steel wire
- Galvanized steel
- Fiberboard
Vibration & Sound-Proofing Components
Residential ductwork systems feature vibration isolators, which dampen vibrations throughout an HVAC system. Alongside volume control dampeners, these components quiet down HVAC operations and limit wearing.
Factors That Impact HVAC Ductwork Integrity
No matter where your HVAC air ducts are located throughout your property, they’re going to be vulnerable to potential structural and equipment damages.
Some of the many reasons why HVAC ductwork systems need repairs include:
Insufficient HVAC Maintenance
It’s crucial to take good care of your HVAC equipment, and proper HVAC maintenance can have a positive ripple effect on your home’s air ducts. This means that you should be inspecting your filters on a monthly basis, and replacing them about every 2-3 months.
Our technicians will be sure to double-check your air ducts for any obstructions or structural problems during annual maintenance checkups as well. We’ll also remove any debris that has accumulated within the inner workings of your HVAC equipment, which goes a long way to improve your property’s indoor air quality (IAQ) and limit the amount of contaminants and allergens being cycled throughout your system.
Not being diligent with your HVAC maintenance is bad in general, and it can lead to many ductwork issues as well!
Structural Integrity Issues
HVAC ductwork isn’t invulnerable to wearing and other damages, and loose connections and perforations often negatively impact the structural integrity of residential ductwork systems.
Upgraded Air Filters
It may seem surprising, but HVAC air filter upgrades can sometimes have a negative impact on your property’s return ducting. There are many top-quality filters that do a great job at keeping debris out of your ductwork system, but these options often have very tight mesh and a larger surface area.
These features are great for capturing tiny particulates and improving your indoor air quality, but they can sometimes inhibit airflow. This is why you should reach out to our HVAC technicians prior to making any air filter upgrades.
Static Pressure Increases
When a homeowner closes one or more air vents, they can inadvertently damage their air ducts. This strategy might seem like an easy and simple way to divert unwanted air from specific household spaces, but it’s not the correct way to customize your indoor air temperatures.
This is because static pressure can quickly build up within ductwork systems in these scenarios, which accelerates ductwork wearing.
Pest Infestations
Your home’s ductwork can be severely damaged by pest infestations, and this is a common issue because both animals and insects will use these household structures for warmth and shelter.
Heavy pests like rodents can also potentially crush or collapse large sections of your property’s ducting.
Impact & Jarring Events
Areas like your garage where you might have exposed ducting can sometimes become damaged due to falling objects. This can include toppled ladders, dropped paint cans, and countless other household objects that can crush air ducts.
This is why it’s particularly important to keep heavy objects away from exposed ducting!
How To Take Proper Care Of Your Home’s Air Ducts
The best thing you can do to protect your home’s air ducts and ensure a good IAQ is to schedule professional air duct inspection and maintenance appointments on at least a yearly basis.
These comprehensive inspections go a lot further than basic tune-ups when it comes to assessing your air duct functionality. Below are some more tips to keep in mind when it comes to making the most out of these appointments:
Setting Up The Right Air Duct Cleaning Schedule For Your Home’s HVAC System
Alongside annual ductwork inspections and maintenance, you should also have your home’s air ducts thoroughly cleaned. It’s generally recommended to have your ductwork system cleaned every 2-3 years; however, the EPA has advised American homeowners to clean their air ducts as needed in order to ensure high IAQ.
Regardless of your preferred ductwork cleaning schedule, you should always have your ducts cleaned after the following scenarios:
- Major building renovations
- Pest infestations
- Wildfire smoke within your property
- Indoor fires
Common Warning Signs of Ductwork Problems
Any ductwork problems will detrimentally impact your HVAC system’s performance, and this is especially the case when you’re experiencing air leaks within your ducts. Dirty, clogged ducts also create airflow issues, which can increase your property’s indoor humidity levels.
Common warning signs associated with leaky, clogged or damaged air ducts include:
- Decreased indoor comfort
- Abnormally high energy bills
- Lower IAQ
- Prolonged cooling and heating cycles
Aging or damaged ductwork also often leads to strange HVAC noises as well. If you’re hearing any type of clanging, banging, humming or whistling sounds while your HVAC system is running, you could need a professional ductwork inspection.
Beehive Heating & Air Has You Covered When You Need A Ductwork Inspection Appointment!
A lot of northern Utah homeowners don’t realize this, but your ductwork system is only meant to last around 10-15 years before needing to be replaced. We understand how all-new air ducts might seem expensive, which is why our team is here to provide affordable, staggered projects to better coincide with your budget— while simultaneously streamlining your HVAC system functionality.
At Beehive Heating & Air, we’ve proudly served the northern Utah community since 1999. You can rest assured that we’ll be there for you and your property when you’re experiencing indoor air quality issues and need ducting services.
Reach out to us online or call us at 801-849-3860 to speak with our HVAC specialists today to schedule your next ductwork inspection appointment!