3 Signs You May Need Air Duct Replacement

Furnace and air conditioner replacements are upgrades that many homeowners stay on top of, and even look forward to. However, there's another integral part of your HVAC system that may need attention as well: your air ducts!

Air ducts play a crucial, yet invisible role in keeping your home comfortable, so it's not always easy to detect when they aren't performing as they should. This guide will help you identify three signs you may need air duct replacement.

1. Noise While Running Your Furnace or AC

You're probably used to the low rumble of your furnace blower and the sound of air whooshing through your vents. These sounds are normal, but HVAC systems with air duct issues often produce unusual and annoying noises.

Ducts that are dented or crimped may create a booming noise when your HVAC system is turned on. This occurs as rushing air forcefully collides with the airflow bottleneck in your ducts. Replacing the damaged section can remedy this problem by restoring the proper air balance in your ductwork.

Punctured ducts may rattle loudly behind your walls as they are pushed around by the escaping air. You may also hear rattling if parts of your ducts have come loose from their brackets, or if two sections of ductwork have separated and formed a gap between them. Punctures and gaps in your ductwork are cause for immediate repair because they greatly reduce your home's energy efficiency.

2. Dirty Vent Registers

Impurities in the air that aren't caught by your furnace filter may collect on your vent registers. Check all of your vents regularly for dust, mold, and mildew. Simply cleaning your vent registers won't remedy the problem; dirty vent registers are a strong indicator that leaky ductwork is allowing moisture, dirt, and other contaminants to infiltrate the system.

3. Uneven Temperatures in Your Home

If one room in your home is harder than the rest to keep warm in the winter or cool in the summer, you should suspect a problem with airflow. The branch of ducts that runs to this room may have a leak that is allowing conditioned air to escape before it reaches its destination. Alternatively, that branch may simply be crimped or clogged with dust, dirt, and grime.

HVAC professionals can locate and replace any damaged sections of your ductwork so you get the full benefit of your central HVAC system. Contact a local HVAC company, like Elite Clean & Restoration, for a duct inspection to enhance your home's comfort and energy efficiency!