How To Test For Ac Duct Leaks In Attic

Leakage on the return side means hot air from your attic is getting sucked into your ductwork.

How to test for ac duct leaks in attic.

This air leaks into your attic space and never reaches your living area which. Learn how to test ducts for leaks and eliminate duct inefficiencies at home. Duct leakage can happen on both sides of the system. If you have noticed these symptoms you should check the air ducts that you have access to and get them sealed.

If you place your hand near these joints and you feel air coming out you know that there s a leak. On the other side the supply side it exhales conditioned air back into your home. Turn on your furnace. Check the entire perimeter of each accessible joint for signs of leakage.

Epa the average duct system loses around 20 to 30 of its air to holes and leaks in the ductwork if your ducts are located in the basement attic or other unconditioned areas of the home you could be losing a lot of cool air and money with it. According to the u s. When you turn on a heating and air conditioning system that has leaks or holes in the ductwork the ducts will suck up dust dirt and a variety of other nasty contaminants around your attic or crawl space. Sealing your air ducts.

Check the insulation surrounding the ducts for any damage including torn pieces damp spots or mold. The spots where two air ducts connect are common places for leaks to occur. Mark any leaks you find with a grease pencil. Duct systems need to be tightly sealed in order to retain conditioned air and the energy it contains.

Feel along the sides until you can feel the hot. A wet area would indicate blockage and an indoor air quality concern which would mean the section needs. One of the major disadvantages when it comes to central air conditioning is the ductwork. Locate your air ducts typically found in attics and crawl spaces step 3.

Leaks are indicated when the smoke is blown away from the joint or sucked into the joint in the case of an air return duct. Then all that dust and debris gets blown out the various vents in your home creating indoor air quality problems. How to check a leaking duct in the attic. During a blower door test bestech energy systems checks your heating and air conditioning duct work for leaks.

4 leaking ducts clog. And the more air your ducts suck in from your attic the less air it needs to suck in from inside your home. Leaking air ducts can lead to a significant loss of heated and cooled air. Duct leaks and energy loss.

You can also try running your hand under other parts of your ductwork to feel for larger leaks. If there are areas in your home where ducts are visible usually in the basement or attic these should be inspected next. Check the duct joints.