Winter is over, and the days are already starting to heat up. As you go through the process of getting your home ready for summer, are you making sure that your ducts are in good shape? If not, you could be leaving your air conditioning system open to some serious efficiency problems. Let’s take a look at duct sealing, and how it can help you this summer.
Duct Sealing
Duct sealing involves closing up all of the leaks in your ducts, usually by painting over them with a substance called mastic. Mastic is a kind of epoxy that, once dry, is stiff enough to seal the leak but flexible enough to move with the ducts without cracking. Occasionally, the mastic is supplemented by regulation duct tape. This is duct tape that, unlike the kind you’re probably familiar with, has a metallic layer that makes it more effective at sealing leaks. Mainstream duct tape is, ironically, horrible for sealing ducts.
Why Duct Sealing Is Necessary
A few duct leaks here and there may not seem like that big of a deal, but they add up really quickly. The US Department of Energy has estimated that the average forced-air system loses as much as 30% of its total output to leaks in the ducts. That’s nearly a third of the total output that you’re paying for going to waste before it can even reach its destination. Without duct sealing, your air conditioning system will be less efficient, which contributes to your bills being higher and your home taking longer to cool down. So be sure to get your ducts sealed this spring if you want to make your air conditioner as efficient as possible.
