Your home is your refuge — that place where you relax and feel comfortable. In order to enjoy a comfortable indoor environment, many of us rely on our heating and cooling systems year-round. When any component of the system isn’t working as it should, things can get uncomfortable rather quickly. One often-overlooked component of HVAC systems is the ductwork. Just like any other system, it suffers wear and tear with continued use. If your duct system has issues, getting new ducts installed will offer you a number of benefits.
What Is Ductwork?
While you likely know that your home has ductwork, you may not know exactly what it does. It may help to think of ductwork as your home’s circulatory system. Just like our veins and arteries circulate blood flow throughout our body, your ductwork distributes hot and cold air throughout your home.
The system consists of both return and supply vents connected by a series of ducts. The return vents take unconditioned air from inside your home and send it to your furnace or air conditioner to be conditioned, and the supply vents deliver the conditioned air to your living spaces. When your ductwork has holes, loose connections, or debris buildup, the system can’t work efficiently, which means you may end up spending more money for less cooling and heating. In addition to a more efficient HVAC system, new ducts will be beneficial to your home in the following ways.
Increased Comfort
Perhaps the greatest benefit of having new ductwork installed is the increased comfort that you can enjoy in your home. With new ducts that are correctly installed and sealed, all of the heated air from your furnace and cooled air from your AC will get to its intended destination. That means no more uneven heating and cooling, which is a sign that your ductwork could use some attention. If you find that you have hot and cold spots in your home, it may be time to reach out to a trusted company like McGowan's Heating & Air Conditioning to have a look at your ductwork.
Lower Energy Costs
With deteriorating ductwork, you’re likely paying a lot more to heat and cool your home than you should be. In fact, a significant amount of your conditioned air may leak out into your walls and crawl spaces before it ever reaches your rooms. This means that you may be having to crank up the furnace or AC just to stay comfortable. Once you have new ductwork installed, you won’t need to keep doing this, and your energy bills will likely decrease.
Better Indoor Air Quality
If your aging ducts have leaks and poor connections, they’re also probably full of dust and other debris. When your heating and cooling systems kick on, all of this debris is circulated throughout your home. While this isn’t healthy for anyone, it is especially harmful to those with allergies and other respiratory conditions. If you or your family members are constantly dealing with symptoms such as coughing and sneezing when at home, your old ductwork may be to blame, and having new ducts installed may help you breathe easier.
Reduced Risk of Mold Growth and Pest Infestation
Dust and debris buildup in your ducts isn’t the only thing that can affect your health; deteriorating ducts are also often the site of mold growth and pest infestation. Humidity from your heating and cooling system can cause moisture to collect in your ductwork, which provides the perfect breeding ground for mold. The cracks and holes in your ducts can also allow insects and rodents to enter them and create nests. Both mold and pests can be very harmful to your health, so it’s very important to address these issues to protect you and your family.
Quieter HVAC Operation
In addition to leaking conditioned air, loose ductwork joints can allow the ducts to move when air is blowing through them. Deteriorating ductwork can also begin to bend and sag, which will cause air to generate more noise as it passes through. Getting new ductwork will solve this issue, and ensuring that it is professionally installed by an experienced company will prevent sagging and loose duct joints in the future.
Optimal Duct Sizing
If your HVAC system is newer than the ductwork connected to it, you could be dealing with various problems without even knowing it. Ductwork that is improperly sized may be inefficient and noisy. Getting new ducts can help you save money and enjoy a more peaceful environment. Also, having new ducts installed can give you the chance to run ductwork into areas that have previously not had it. Whether it’s a room addition or a previously unfinished basement you’ve recently renovated, having ducts installed in the space will keep it more comfortable.
More Efficient Ventilation in Your Attic or Crawlspace
Many homes have an attic or crawlspace that has never been used for ventilation. While this may not be a space in your home that you use very often, it is vital to ensure that it is not contributing to high energy costs. Without proper ventilation in these areas, hot and cool air can become trapped and make it harder to control the temperature in your living areas. While having new ductwork installed, you can also address a lack of ventilation in various areas of your home.
Increased Home Value
Anytime you take on a home improvement project, you have the chance to potentially increase the value of your property, and this is certainly true of installing new ductwork. If you plan on selling your home in the near future, updating your HVAC system and ducting can help you get a higher price. Even if you don’t plan on selling your home, investing in replacing your aging ductwork is still a good idea because it will increase your home equity.
New Ductwork Installed by Certified Technicians
Another great benefit of having new ductwork installed by McGowan's Heating & Air Conditioning is that it allows you to get the job done by certified technicians. You may be surprised that not every HVAC company knows how to do ductwork work. When you have new ductwork installed by a company certified in the field, you’ll be assured that the professionals you’re working with are licensed, insured, and certified in their area of expertise. Ductwork is a job that requires a lot of experience. If the technicians installing your new ductwork aren’t adequately trained, you could be putting your home at risk for various hazards.
Reach Out to McGowan's Heating & Air Conditioning Today
If it’s time to replace your home’s ductwork, you can count on the team from McGowan's Heating & Air Conditioning to expertly complete the project. Our team has been serving Jacksonville, Bunnell, and other areas of northeast Florida for nearly 50 years. We provide ductwork design and installation services for both new construction projects and existing homes. We also provide duct cleaning, attic insulation, and indoor air quality services. If you need other heating and cooling services, such as furnace or AC repair, maintenance, or installation, we can help with that too. We even offer installation financing to help customers with approved credit pay for the new system. Call us today for more information or to set up an appointment.
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