Duct Testing

The ductwork in a home must have an airtight seal along its length in order for the HVAC system to work effectively and without energy waste. If holes and gaps develop in the ducts, it will result in a rise in the cost to run the heater and air conditioner, a drop in comfort around the year, poorer indoor air quality, and even damage to internal components.

Without professional testing for the ducts, it’s almost impossible to know if the system needs sealing or repairs. It’s not difficult to have this testing done in the Sugar Land area, since you only need to contact Fresh Air, L.P.. We not only test ductwork, we can handle the necessary sealing, repair, and replacement work that will fix whatever problems we uncover.

The ventilation professionals at Fresh Air, L.P. offer duct testing services in Sugar Land, TX and the surrounding areas. Call us when quality matters!

How to Test Ducts

You can’t do the actual duct testing yourself: it’s a complex process that requires high–end equipment and the training to use it and analyze its data. You can, however, find out if you need to have duct testing done soon. There are a number of signs to watch for that will show the ducts are creating trouble for the HVAC system from damage, leaks, or inefficient construction:

• High heating and cooling bills: Air lost through leaky ducts can account for a loss of almost a third of the air inside the ventilation system. That’s an immense amount of air you pay to heat and cool that ends up going nowhere, and this will create a noticeable spike in your bills.
• Musty smells from the vents: Leaks in the ducts will draw in air from places such as the attic and between the walls. This air will carry a detectable musty odor.
• Drop in air flow: Check out the flow of the air coming from room vents. If it seems sluggish, it may be the fault of a drop in ductwork integrity.

What Happens During Professional Duct Testing

You have reason to believe your ducts are in sub–par quality and you want to have professionals test them. How do they do that? The process involves first sealing off the ventilation system by closing off all the room vents and registers. Next, trained technicians attach a special power vacuum onto the ventilation system that creates high air pressure within the ducts. A device measures the pressure levels inside the ductwork to see how much it drops, and how fast. This will tell the technicians if the ducts have lost integrity and are rapidly losing air. Damaged ductwork will require repairs and sealing in order to restore the vital air tightness to the HVAC system.

Make Testing Ducts a Regular Service in Sugar Land

Even if you don’t notice anything out of the ordinary with the ventilation system in your home, duct testing is still a service that you should arrange for every few years. If you have never had duct testing done for your home before, it’s a smart idea to have it scheduled soon. This way, you’ll catch potential problems before they can have a negative effect on your HVAC system, utility bills, or air quality. Otherwise, every 3–5 years is a good schedule for duct testing. You have a great resource easily available for this job: the professionals at Fresh Air, L.P.. Call us today to schedule ductwork services.