Duct Testing and Sealing
Air leakage in forced air duct systems account for 25% of total house energy losses. These leaks will cause your system to run longer while trying to keep up if it can.
Leaks in the supply duct cause conditioned air to be dumped outside into the attic or crawl space instead of going into the house. We almost always find leaks in the supply system.
Leaks in the return ductwork pull unconditioned air directly into the HVAC system reducing both the efficiency and capacity. The unconditioned outside air will come through the basement/crawlspace or attic and bring with it dust, mold spores, insulation fibers and other contaminates. If your house seems "dusty" this could be the problem.
During the summer moist air coming in through return leaks can overwhelm the dehumidification capacity of the air conditioning system causing the house to feel clammy even though the system is operating all the time.
In the winter duct leakage will increase the use of the electric strip heaters as the system tries to keep up with the demand.
We conduct a Duct Blaster test with every audit to determine precisely how much air is leaking from the system. Repairing a duct system is one of the most cost effective improvements that a homeowner can make. For our Georgia Power customers there is a $100 rebate for sealing ducts.