Signs Your Ductwork is Getting Old

Your ductwork takes a beating through the years. The metal expands and contracts as air flows through the ducts to condition your home. Likely your ducts are located in an unconditioned space such as the attic or basement, so may be subject to temperature extremes, high humidity and perhaps damage from repair persons. The point is that old ductwork doesn’t last forever, and sooner or later, it will be time to replace it.

Signs of Aging

The signs of aging ductwork are several, but if yours is accessible, inspect it yourself. Otherwise, hire a ductwork specialist to assess its viability. Meanwhile, watch for these signs of aging.

Poor indoor air quality. When ducts develop holes or segments come loose, pollutants such as mold, dust, insect particles and others can be drawn into the home’s air supply exacerbating conditions such as allergies and asthma.

Uneven cooling and heating. When ducts collapse or develop holes, they can’t deliver conditioned air properly. If you’re finding uneven heating and cooling from room to room in your home, old ductwork could be the culprit.

Too much humidity. If your ductwork is located in unconditioned areas of the home such as the attic or basement, and if those ducts have holes or disconnected segments, then they may be the ingress point for unwanted humidity into your home. Too much humidity in your home’s supply air can make your household uncomfortable, exacerbating the need to crank up the thermostat to compensate.

Age of ducts. If your ductwork is more than 10-15 years old, it’s probably time to replace it. Over time, needed repairs may become so extensive that you’re better off replacing rather than patching up.

If your ductwork is located in a hard-to-access space, schedule a blower test with your HVAC contractor. Using a blower fan, the technician will pressurize ducts. Pressure sensors in the ducts and an airflow sensor in the HVAC blower will show if proper pressure is being maintained.

To learn whether it’s time to replace your old ductwork, contact C.R. Wolfe Heating and Air Conditioning. We’ve served Middletown since 1945.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Middletown, New York about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about ductwork and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Guide or call us at 845-367-4482.

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