Duct Testing & Sealing in San Ramon, CA

Why Duct Testing and Sealing Is Necessary

Ducts are actually incredibly vulnerable to problems like leaks, even from years of normal use. If mistakes made during installation don’t open up gaps in the ducts, years of expanding and contracting with the temperature changes will. Over the years, the average ductwork will develop quite a few leaks. While the individual leaks in the ducts are often small, they tend to add up over time. The US Department of Energy has found that the average forced air system loses up to 30% of its total output to duct leaks. That’s nearly a third of the total output that you’re paying for which is going to waste.

As your heating and air conditioning systems lose more and more of their output to duct leaks, they will be forced to remain on for longer and longer periods of time in order to achieve the same temperature output. This both makes your home more uncomfortable, and costs you more money. Duct sealing can close duct leaks, returning your system to optimal efficiency. Before the ducts can be sealed, though, the leaks must be found and sometimes they require duct repair or replacement. That’s where duct testing comes in.

The Process of Duct Testing and Sealing

First and foremost, you need to have your ducts tested before getting them sealed. This allows your HVAC technician to pinpoint the location of the leaks that need to be sealed. Duct testing begins with sealing off all of the vents in your home, with the exception of one. The remaining vent has a large fan, called a "blower door" attached to it which sucks all the air out of the ductwork. The rate at which the duct pressure returns to normal is then measured, in order to estimate how many leaks are present in the ducts. Smoke pencils are also used to pinpoint the location of all of the duct leaks. This is the best way to prep your ducts for duct sealing services, which will restore your forced air systems.

Once the leaks in your ducts are identified, they are often painted over with a substance called "mastic." Mastic is a type of epoxy that, once dry, is flexible enough to move with the ducts but stiff enough to seal the leak properly. The mastic will occasionally be supplemented by regulation duct tape. This is duct tape with a metallic layer, which makes it better at sealing leaks. Common duct tape is actually terrible for sealing ducts, ironically enough.

Call Us for Professional Duct Testing and Sealing Services

Duct leaks are not one–time occurrences. They will continue to appear over time as you use your ducts. So, it’s not enough to get your ducts sealed one time. You should have your ducts checked at least once a year in order to make sure that new leaks do not appear.

Duct sealing is something that should only ever be trusted to professionals. Since it requires a lot of expertise and special tools, this isn’t something you can really do yourself. Call Comfy Heating & Air Conditioning Inc. and we’ll handle all of your duct sealing needs for you.