Whether you realize it or not, your home’s ductwork plays a significant role. When it comes to keeping your home warm in the winter and cool in the summer, chances are your ductwork will be doing the majority of the work. It usually leads to damaged ductwork in need of some duct sealing methods that are effective.
Ductworks are a series of vents that connect every house room to the air conditioner and furnace. The installation of your ductwork may appear simple enough. However, it’s a little more complicated than you might think. Depending on the size of the room, a different sized duct needs to be connected to the furnace.
It usually results in many small corners, curves, bends, causing different places where the ductwork could leak. A large number of homeowners have leaks in their ductwork right now and are unaware of it. While a few minor leaks here and there may not put a big dent in your pocket, even minor leaks can cause problems. It, in turn, increases the monthly energy bill unless you have the right way to fix those leaks.
Air duct Sealing Methods
Suppose you suspect that leakage in your ducts. You have some methods to look into for fixing or sealing leakage. Let’s go over a few of the most popular options on the market. According to Air Duct Cleaning in Alpharetta, GA, to get you up to speed on fixing your leaky ductwork most conveniently, here are a few methods:
HVAC duct sealing with sealing tape
Sealing leaky ductwork with an HVAC duct sealing tape is one method. An HVAC duct sealing tape, usually known as aluminum foil tape, usually comes in a roll, which you’ll quickly find at any hardware store.
This method for sealing leaky ducts is less time-consuming and less messy. However, it fails when it comes to performance and long life compared to other sealing methods.
As you know, duct-sealing tape fails if your duct frequently gets dirty or oily. If you must use this option for whatever reason, your best bet is to use foil tape, butyl tape, or any other type of duct sealing tape.
Make sure the sealant tape you use bears the UL (Underwriters Laboratories) logo. This seal represents sealant tape that’s most suitable for residential use. HVAC Cleaning in Alpharetta GA service recommends making sure to never use a regular tape for sealing, as it could be flammable and not last very long.
Duct sealing with mastic duct sealant
While tape is an easy fix, it becomes expensive over time and loses durability. The use of mastic air-duct sealants is a preferable choice for most homeowners. It’s a gooey substance that gets firm after applying it to your ducts. The ideal choice for this sealant is a water-based mastic duct sealer as it’s easier to clean and lasts longer
Applying it is not that hard; use a paint brush when applying mastic duct sealant on your own. Using a sealant gun is an option too. However, it’s not required. Don’t mistake or confuse mastic sealant with a conventional duct seal. It’s mainly used to seal electric cables and other small spaces outside your house.
However, please do not use it on leaky pipes as different mastic has a different purpose, meaning not every mastic is the same. Depending on the amount of your leak, you might need to combine your liquid mastic with a diverse product such as fiberglass mesh tape. It is valid for gaps more than a quarter of an inch.
Sealing with Aeroseal duct sealant
Mastic sealant for duct sealing is a wise choice for DIY projects. However, mastic screening can be a difficult task. In hard-to-reach places, mastic sealant isn’t that effective. Particularly in regions like behind drywall or for hidden leaks. Aeroseal comes very handy here as the best duct sealing method.
This Aeroseal method uses a particular, state of the art way to locate leaks for your complete HVAC system. The U.S. Department of Energy describes this method as the most compelling scientific and technologically advanced achievement. It is in itself a great honor. It easily could remove all the mess entirely without such hassle or damaging ducts. HVAC Cleaning in Alpharetta GA service considers this type of sealant as the most effective one.
How do they use it?
Simple, usually the technician first seals and blocks all registers and vents. They then pressurize your system, which helps the technician identify all nooks, crannies, holes, cracks, and leaks in your duct.
After that, the specialist measures leakage in the ductwork. Furthermore, It provides you with a detailed comparison of the whole Aeroseal process before and after. Once that’s completed, a specialist will carefully spread the sealant throughout the air ducts for sealing all defects or damages found.
Furthermore, after the whole process, the air in the room will smell nice, better than the air before the sealing process.
How is that, you ask?
The sealing of damages in ductworks makes the air flowing through it free from all contaminants. These contaminants could cause mold, humidity, and breathing problems. After sealing, these contaminants will stay away from your ductworks, improving indoor air quality. You might not need an air filter for some time, as the air is already clean and free from air contaminants. Nevertheless, having an air filter is better and recommended by many services.
These were some of the most common duct sealing methods to seal the leakage. The effectiveness, however, depends on the type of system you use or the damage to the ductwork. At the end of the day, before any work is done, have a professional look at the ductwork to guide you to better accuracy. Furthermore, take precautions and use safety equipment whenever performing any job around the house.
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