The greater Houston area has been under a heat advisory for much of the summer months.
As a Cypress resident, you’re no stranger to hot weather. You deal with temperatures in the high 90s every year, but when you have a functioning air conditioner, it’s not so bad. It’s when you start to have problems with your system that things can start to go downhill fast.
One of the trickiest issues to diagnose is an AC duct leak. Once the ducts start leaking, your cool air will filter into unwanted areas of your home. In the end, your air conditioner will have to work harder to cool your home, leading to more strain on the system and higher energy bills.
In today’s post, we’ll help you out by telling you how to identify AC duct leaks, as well as how to fix them. Keep reading and you’ll be able to stay cool and comfortable in your Cypress home this summer.
Your AC Isn’t Cooling Your Home
One of the more obvious signs that you’ve got an HVAC problem is that your air conditioner isn’t cooling your home. Now, this can signal a wide variety of problems, including minor things, like thermostat connection issues, and major things, like AC motor problems.
The best way to tell that it’s the duct system is to walk around the home and check the ducts themselves. If you don’t feel cool air coming from any of the ducts, it’s more likely another AC issue. If cool air is coming from some of the ducts, but not all, there’s a good chance you’ve got a duct leak.
Particular Rooms Remain Hot
When some rooms are frigid while others are sweltering, it’s a safe bet that you’ve got a duct issue. Unless you’ve got a smart HVAC system with multi-zone cooling, your AC unit should cool all areas of your home equally.
Uneven cooling isn’t just annoying and uncomfortable. It’s likely a serious problem with your ducts that you’ll want to get sorted as soon as possible. Most of the time, this is a leak that is preventing certain rooms from cooling down as they should.
Excessive Allergens and Contaminants
In addition to distributing air from your AC unit throughout your home, the duct system helps reduce allergens. That said, they’re often placed in unconditioned areas of the home where dust and other contaminants are more prevalent.
With a duct leak, these contaminants will enter into the ducts, which will then distribute them throughout your home. From there, they can create all sorts of problems, whether it’s just dust settling on everything or hurting those with allergies.
It can be difficult to notice when there’s an excess of dust. As a general rule of thumb, if you’re noticing more dust than normal, there’s a good chance something’s wrong. You may just need to change your AC filter, but it could be a duct problem too.
Skyrocketing Utility Bills
One of the side effects of leaky ducts that don’t properly cool your home is that your bills will skyrocket. When cool air is simply leaking out of your ductwork, that costs money.
It’s also the result of your AC unit having to work harder to cool your home. An AC unit that has to work harder uses more energy, which causes bills to go up.
Another effect of your AC unit having to work harder is that it suffers more wear and tear. More wear and tear leads to more and more expensive repairs and, eventually, premature AC replacement.
If you currently have automatic payments set up for your utilities, take the time to check the charges each month. This is often the quickest way to diagnose an HVAC problem that is otherwise not yet noticeable.
Signs of Poor Indoor Air Quality
We touched on the issue of dust and allergens that result from faulty ducts. When you fix leaky air ducts, you’ll notice an uptick in indoor air quality, which is incredibly important for a country that spends around 90% of its time indoors.
Poor indoor air quality isn’t something you’ll necessarily notice right away, but it’ll take its toll over time. You may find that your nose is running more than usual or you’re getting dizzy and tired for no apparent reason.
The long-term effects of poor indoor air quality are more severe. They include things like heart disease, respiratory illnesses, and even cancer.
It’s important to remain diligent with indoor pollutants. As soon as you start to see a buildup of dust or unusual smells in the home, it’s time to start investigating the problem. Call an AC company in Cypress, TX to have your ducts and AC system inspected and fixed as soon as possible.
Your Ductwork Is Old and Brittle
If you know your ductwork is old and brittle – or you have no idea how old it is – it could have leaks that you’re unaware of. Ducts should be replaced every 15 years or so.
Even ducts that are properly maintained will start to develop issues over time. The best thing you can do is check for AC duct leaks in Cypress. You don’t always need a reason to inspect them – just staying vigilant will tell you when to replace them before they start to cause problems.
Frequent HVAC Problems
A lot of the signs of leaky ducts could also be more general air conditioner problems. If you’ve just had your AC unit replaced, take good care of it, and you’re still having problems, the ducts should be the first place you look.
The longer you neglect this problem, the more you’ll spend on AC repairs that you don’t need. Finding the right company to help you identify HVAC issues will help you be more proactive with your ducts.
Let Texas Eagle Help With Your AC Duct Problems
Don’t wait to get help when you notice any of these leaky AC duct symptoms. A good HVAC service, like Texas Eagle AC & Heating, can quickly diagnose leaky ducts and provide fast and affordable solutions.
As the preeminent HVAC company in Texas, we’ve got 15 years of experience helping Houston-area homeowners with their heating and cooling. Contact us today to learn how we can help you with your ducts or AC issues during another hot summer.
