Air Ducts 101
For most homeowners, initial air duct installation is the last time they think about the network of ductwork that transfers hot and cold air around their home. At Art Plumbing, Air Conditioning & Electric we want our customers to be aware of the different parts of their home, which is why we’re answering the important ductwork questions that might have never crossed your mind.
What Do Residential Air Ducts Actually Do?
Residential air ducts serve a very important function – they circulate hot and cold air throughout your house, depending on your temperature requirements. Air ducts are connected to your home HVAC system, forming a networked system of ducts intertwined throughout your entire house. By creating a duct system, you are able to adjust the temperature in every room without having to buy different HVAC units for each room. This not only creates a uniform temperature throughout your entire home, but also saves you from spending money on unnecessary costs.
Having proper, high quality ductwork is a must for people who live in Florida and other hot climates, as well-maintained ducts not only cool your house down, but also improve air quality and quality of life.
How Are Air Ducts Installed?
Installing air ducts is a big process that requires the advice and assistance of professional HVAC technicians. In the past, our technicians have had to deal with broken, damaged or incorrectly installed air ducts as a result of homeowners trying to DIY this difficult procedure. Incorrectly installed ductwork is both dangerous and costly, as your HVAC will have to work harder to produce the quality of air you expect. Hiring a technician to redo your ductwork after someone has tried to do it themselves is also an unnecessary cost, and sometimes takes longer than the original installation would have.
The moral of the story when it comes to duct installation is to never try it yourself. But, if you hire one of Art Plumbing, Air Conditioning & Electric’s technicians to do the job for you, you’ll have as much cool air as you want in no time. The installation process itself varies from home to home, primarily because houses are sized so differently. A large house with many different rooms will require extensive ductwork, whereas installing duct work in a small house with just a few rooms won’t take as long.
One of the most important things our technicians work on is sealing and insulating your new ductwork. Leaky ducts cost homeowners thousands of dollars every year, which is why our technicians make sure that newly installed ducts are properly sealed.
Why Cleaning and Maintaining Your Ductwork is So Important
Whether your ductwork is new or old doesn’t change the fact that you need to maintain this important part of your HVAC system. In hot climates such as South Florida, home AC systems work around the clock, which means your ducts are constantly transferring cold air to different parts of your home. In order to ensure that your ducts are in peak working condition, it’s best to regularly check everything is functioning properly. This will ensure that, if something does go wrong, you’ll know about the problem before your electricity bill skyrockets.
Cleaning your air ducts is another important aspect of maintenance. Your ductwork sees a lot of dirt in its lifetime, ranging from dust and pet dander, to skin follicles and hair. If you don’t clear debris out of your air ducts regularly, the quality of your breathing air starts to decrease dramatically. This can have serious effects on your family and loved ones, particularly people who struggle with asthma or allergies.
So now that you know more about the importance of your ductwork, we hope to hear from you in regards to duct maintenance. At Art Plumbing, Air Conditioning & Electric we would love to answer all of your duct related questions and invite you to call about our air conditioning services at 1-800-475-1504.
