Your home's consistent temperature control and indoor air quality depend on the basic ductwork of your HVAC system. The blower on a typical residential air handler circulates more than 1,000 cubic feet of conditioned air per minute while the cycle is on. Proper ductwork is required to distribute these volumes. 

Supply and Return Ductwork 

The ductwork in your home consists of supply and return ducts. They can be constructed as rigid ducts or flexible ducts. 

Supply ducts bring conditioned air into each room through supply vents on the top of a wall near the ceiling. 

Return ducts carry air back to your air handler for cooling or heating. Some homes have a return duct in each room, and many have a central return duct in a hallway. 

Ductwork is balanced to maintain neutral air pressure in each room, which helps control temperature and improve air quality. 

Most ductwork isn't visible in your home because it's usually routed through your attic, crawl space, or other areas. However, some ducts are longer and extend into rooms or are installed in wall cavities. 

Read More: Exploring the Best Ductwork Materials for Your Home >>

What can possibly go wrong with ductwork? 

Air leaks can occur at joints and elsewhere in the system as ductwork ages. The loss of conditioned air to unconditioned areas, such as crawl spaces or attics, is a major cause of higher operating costs and less efficient heating and cooling systems. 

A professional duct inspection, including pressure testing, can help determine the degree of leakage. Leaky ductwork can be repaired with proven sealing techniques.

When airflow temperature is affected by heat gain or loss, ducts that run through extremely hot or cold areas, such as crawl spaces and attics, are at risk of overheating. If the exposed ductwork is in an unconditioned area, insulation can solve the problem. 

Serving Philadelphia and surrounding areas, we at AC Comfort HVAC LLC are ready to inspect your ductwork along with your home's entire HVAC system at your request. Leave your request and we will call you back as soon as possible.