My house in Birmingham, Alabama, is outfitted with a central heating and cooling system.
I have an air conditioner to handle the summer months and a furnace to cover the winter season.
The two units share ductwork that is concealed inside walls, ceilings and the attic. For the majority of the year, either the air conditioner or furnace is running. Because of constant use, the ductwork is extremely important. It is also easy to forget about and neglect. I am very conscientious about hiring a local Birmingham HVAC contractor to provide service for the AC in the spring and furnace in the fall. I am diligent about regular filter changes. Ignoring the ductwork led to some problems with indoor air quality and energy waste. I noticed that every time the furnace started up, there was a great deal of dust swirling around in the air. My kids often complained of sore throats, congestion and difficulty sleeping. It was necessary to dust and vacuum far more frequently. Plus, our monthly utility bills suddenly were much higher than normal. When I Googled my complaints with the system and read the possible causes, I realized the ductwork was most likely to blame. An inspection and testing performed by a licensed HVAC contractor revealed leaks at the seams. Approximately 20% of our conditioned air was lost by way of these gaps. Contaminants were getting pulled into the system and spread throughout the house. Because the ductwork isn’t readily accessible, I had no idea how this problem could be fixed. Fortunately the HVAC company specializes in a process called Aeroseal that targets flaws in the ductwork from the inside. They pumped highly pressurized air laced with adhesive particles into the system to create an airtight seal.