How to Tell Your Air Conditioning Ductwork Is Leaking

If you rely on a central air conditioning system to keep your home cool during the hot summer days, then you should be aware that the ductwork is one of the most important components of the system. Conditioned air cannot be recirculated within your living space without it. Over time, the ducts can develop leaks, leading to air conditioning inefficiencies. You should be able to tell when your ducts are leaky so you can have the problem fixed immediately. Here are a few common signs of leaky air conditioning system ductwork.

Poor indoor air quality

Is your home overly dusty? Does it lack fresh air? The main culprit behind your woes may be leaky ducts. While there's always going to be dust in your home no matter how regularly you dust off the areas where it tends to collect, having excessive amounts of dust could be the fault of leaky ductwork sucking up dust into the system and distributing it in your home via the vents. If the ductwork passes through unconditioned spaces like a basement where you have stored chemical products such as fertilisers and paint thinners, the air in your living space may feel unusually stuffy. Whenever you pick up a sign that your air is contaminated, it could all be stemming from leaky ductwork.

Some rooms are becoming difficult to cool

If it is taking longer than usual for your air conditioning unit to cool certain rooms, it could be that you are spilling invaluable conditioned air via duct leaks that have formed in the attic; thus, you won't be able to get enough cool air in your space. Whenever you notice that it is taking too long for your air conditioning unit to cool a room, place your hands over your supply vents to check for airflow. If the air coming out of your vents is weak, there's a potential duct leak somewhere that needs to be sealed up.

Soaring energy bills

If the conditioned air that your equipment works so hard to produce leaks out of the system, you will experience an increase in your utility bills. Even though it is not uncommon for energy bills to go up from time to time, ever-rising electricity bills may be an indicator that there are air leaks within your system. Make sure you are not losing your hard-earned money because of leaks in your ductwork by calling in a ducted air conditioning professional to fix the problem.