Can Duct Sealing Help with Indoor Air Quality?

Can Duct Sealing Help with Indoor Air Quality?

Duct sealing is often cited as the best way to improve the energy efficiency of your home’s forced air system. Most homes are in desperate need of it. The US Department of Energy has found that the average home heating system loses approximately 30% of its total heat output to leaks in the ductwork. That’s nearly one-third of your total heat that’s completely going to waste. Beyond drastically improving heating and cooling efficiency, though, duct sealing can also help improve the air quality in your home. Why do you need your air quality improved? Let’s take a look at some of the common airborne contaminants that can be found in an average home, and how duct sealing helps to get rid of them.

Airborne Contaminants

Have you ever seen a ray of sunlight shining through a part of your house, and noticed thousands of dust motes moving through the light? Those particles are only a tiny fraction of the millions of microscopic contaminants that constantly circulate through the average home’s air. Not all of these particles are harmful, but there are a few that are. Dust, dust mites, pet dander, and pollen are all lung irritants, and can aggravate the symptoms of allergy sufferers. Meanwhile, viruses, bacteria, and mold spores are capable of infecting and sickening people who are exposed to them. These contaminants can be found anywhere in the house, but they have a strong tendency to congregate in ducts. This is because ducts are dark, and more or less undisturbed by human activity.

Duct Sealing

The process of duct sealing consists of finding and closing any and all leaks that might be present in the home’s ductwork. While this may not seem to have anything to do with improving the quality of your air, there are two things you should consider. First, sealing leaks in the ducts decreases the available points of entry for contaminants. That includes any moisture that might promote mold growth. Second, the close inspection of the ducts required for duct sealing gives the HVAC technician a thorough impression of how dirty your ducts actually are. If the ducts seem to be in dire need of a more thorough cleaning process, your HVAC technician can take additional steps. Prevention and vigilance are the two biggest measures that duct sealing provides with regard to your indoor air quality.

If you’d like to know more about duct sealing, call Russell’s Heating and Air Conditioning. We provide indoor air quality services throughout the Yucaipa area.