Understanding Filter Concerns

There are many great ways to increase the efficiency of your furnace without spending too much time or money. Maintaining adequate airflow is of the utmost importance. So, no matter how energy efficient your furnace is, it will not have great airflow if your ducts are not air tight. Even a small leak in the ducts can reduce airflow and make it harder to keep your house heated. If you have to turn up your furnace to compensate for leaky ducts, you are basically throwing money away. You might as well fix the duct ASAP and not waste money. This article explains how to seal duct seams that are loose or bent.

Where to Tape

Most of your duct system will be within the actual walls, so you cannot reach these ducts if your home is already finished and the drywall is installed. However, there are many critical points where the ducts are exposed and accessible. The most important junctures are the ducts that lead out of the furnace and into the wall. Also, the ducts that lead from the exterior condenser unit and into the home are accessible. These duct sections are often in areas where they can get bumped, causing the individual pieces to separate. If you have a wall that seems to heat up more than other walls, it could be caused by a leaky duct running through it. In the rare case that this does happen, you might need to remove the drywall and reseal or replace the ducts. Of course, this is quite a large remodel, and it needs to be handled by professionals.

Using the Right Tape

You might assume that duct tape is the best tape for taping ducts. However, aluminum foil tape works better than cloth duct tape—although it is more expensive. Aluminum foil tape is paper backed so you need to expose the adhesive before using the tape. You should double wrap any seams that you are taping to make sure no leakage will occur.

You should run your furnace after taping the seams and make sure that there are no spots where it feels like air is leaking. This simple DIY project can instantly increase the airflow of your furnace. It may allow you to turn down your thermostat a couple of degrees. Ultimately, the less you have to run your furnace, the longer it will last and run efficiently. So, this simple job can actually save your even more money if you think of it from that point of view.

For more ideas on how to improve the efficiency of your furnace, contact an HVAC company like Scott's Heating & Air Conditioning Services.