It’s not just home comfort you have to think about when it comes to your ductwork; it’s also your energy bills. If you have leaky ductwork, it could be causing some major problems in your New Orleans, LA home. Here are some ways that leaky ductwork will affect your energy bills.
Escaping Air
The first thing you probably think of with leaky ductwork is the air that escapes through. When conditioned air escapes, it doesn’t get to its destination, so your HVAC system needs to condition more air to get your home to the preferred temperature. As a result, you’ll probably see your energy bills rise.
Poor Insulation
Leaks in your ducts don’t just let the air out — it can mess with the insulation of the ductwork itself. Without insulation against outside conditions, the air won’t stay at the required temperature. In other words, your HVAC system will have to work harder to keep your home cool.
The result is the same as if the air itself had escaped your ducts. Your HVAC will use more electricity to heat or cool your home, which will translate to higher energy bills.
Problems You Might Not Have Realized
Leaks aren’t one-way streets; they can easily let things into your ductwork as they let the air out. Many things can get into your ductwork, from pollutants to dust to small insects, if it’s not sealed properly.
For example, dust might impact your indoor air quality, but it won’t necessarily have a huge impact on your energy bill. However, the more debris accumulates, the less room there is for air to move around. Your air conditioner will need to push harder to get air from the compressor to the rooms in your house, which can increase your energy bills.
Accelerated Wear and Tear
As mentioned above, your HVAC system will need to work harder to heat or cool your home when there are leaks in the ductwork. While that can increase your energy bills, you might not realize that the issue may only worsen from there. Like humans, long periods of stress on your HVAC system can reduce how efficiently it works.
That won’t just lead to frequent repairs but also how well your system operates. Add that to how hard your HVAC might already need to work to make up for the duct leaks, and you’ll see how your energy bills might spike.
Improper Airflow
Airflow is an important part of indoor air quality. It helps remove excess moisture and odors from the air while keeping your home comfortable. If there are gaps or holes in your ductwork, this may cause some rooms to have less airflow than others, resulting in higher energy bills.
An Unbalanced Duct System
Ducts work by evenly distributing air throughout a space. When there are leaks, there’s no balance in the system. This causes uneven temperatures within rooms or one side of a building being too hot or cold compared to another.
Increased energy use forces your heating or cooling system to work harder than it needs. In other words, it’s working double time to maintain even temperatures throughout your space.
If you notice problems with your HVAC system, give our team at Bryans United Air Conditioning a call. We’ll be happy to send an experienced technician to your home and diagnose the problem. Rest assured that you’re in good hands with our team of pros! We’re ready and waiting to help!
