The ductwork in your home HVAC system is carefully designed and balanced to deliver just the right amount of air to all your rooms – at least, it should be. But the fact is that not all ductwork is correctly installed, and even when it is, years of use can lead to leaks and damage in your ducts. Disconnected heating ducts can result in a lot of energy use and a decline in home comfort, so it’s a good idea to have your ducts inspected for leakage.
An HVAC contractor has a number of ways to test your ducts. One test you may see involves a duct blaster fan. This test works by sealing all of your air vents except one, and attaching a duct blaster fan to the remaining open duct. When your heating system is turned on, the fan should spin. All the circulating air in your home should be directed out through that one vent. If the fan blades do not spin, or only spin sluggishly, you may have disconnected heating ducts leading to the vent.
You can perform a simple version of this test by attaching a length of tissue or ribbon to a vent and observing it. This won’t give you actionable information if only some of your air is being lost to leakage, but it can help to confirm whether or not a particular vent is dead. Just be sure to remove the paper or ribbon when you’re done! Loose material can accumulate in your ductwork and block airflow, provide spaces for mold and fungus growth, or even become a fire hazard.
If you have disconnected heating vents in your Fresno home, contact Donald P. Dick Air Conditioning for repairs! With repaired ducts, you’ll spend less money on heating and cooling, and notice that more of your conditioned air gets to where you can enjoy it.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in the greater Fresno, California area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).