Should You Consider Air Duct Replacement?

In most cases, air ducts can perform their duty for many years without trouble. As long as they are cleaned periodically, there isn’t much else you need to worry about – they’ll keep carrying air around the building and send it to the vents so it can flow out into your spaces. While ducts are generally hands-off, it is possible that you’ll run into a point where air duct replacement is the right option. This article will look at why air duct replacement might be the case and how you’ll know when the time is right. 

 

Working with Walker Air • Plumbing • Electric will take the mystery out of any HVAC issues you need to manage. Thanks to our tremendous experience in this industry and the strong reputation we’ve built in Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, you can trust us with air duct replacement or any other projects that may be on your agenda. Let’s get started today!

 

Air Duct Replacement: Signs of Trouble

You can’t really “watch” your ducts, unless they happen to be exposed. Most ductwork is hidden out of sight, so you have to rely on things other than a visual inspection to confirm they are still working well. Here are some points to keep in mind when it comes to the health of your ducts –

 

• Air not flowing properly. Your ducts only have one job to do, but they need to do it well for your home to stay comfortable throughout the year. If the ducts aren’t letting air flow around the house as it should, they’ll need to be inspected and possibly replaced. Of course, there are other potential causes for lackluster airflow, such as a blower problem, so ask Walker Air • Plumbing • Electric to take a closer look to see what is going on. 
• Bad smells. The air coming out of your vents should smell clean and fresh. If you are getting an off-putting, foul-smelling odor instead, something is certainly wrong. It’s possible something is growing within your ducts – such as mold – and that growth is causing the air to smell and may spread toxins around the house. This situation will call for immediate action in the form of thorough duct cleaning or complete duct replacement. 
• Weird sounds. Even if you can’t see your ducts, you can get an idea of how they are working based on what you hear when the system is running. Do you hear odd whistling sounds when your HVAC system kicks on? If so, there may be cracks or leaks in the ducts that are allowing air to seep out – and that’s where the whistling sound is coming from. It may be possible to repair such issues, but it might wind up making sense to perform air duct replacement.

 

A Couple Other Possibilities

There are a couple of other things to keep in mind as you consider possible air duct replacement. First, think about how your HVAC system is working as a whole and how good it is at warming or cooling your home. If its performance leaves a little something to be desired, that’s a potential sign the ductwork isn’t doing its job. It could be damage in the ducts, or it could be the ductwork layout is faulty and needs to be changed to work more effectively. 

 

Another point to factor into this equation is the age of your home. Have these ducts been in place for many decades? If you live in an older home with original ductwork, it’s very likely that some issues have developed over the years. By performing air duct replacement, you could get dramatically improved HVAC performance and save a significant amount of energy along the way. 

 

Is Now the Time?

While you don’t want to rush into an air duct replacement project, you also don’t want to wait so long that bigger problems arise. When in doubt, put your trust in Walker Air • Plumbing • Electric to help you make this important choice. We’ll offer our honest advice and clearly explain the options we think you should consider. Get in touch right away to get help from our friendly team.