In some ways, your home’s ductwork is the weakest link in your indoor comfort system. While it may be the conduit that delivers the heated or cooled air to every corner of your home, it’s also the place where the most energy is lost. Since your ductwork is so extensive, stretching throughout your home, the potential for wasted energy is great — especially for parts of your air duct system that are located in uninsulated spaces such as attics and basements. In these areas, the heating losses in winter and heat gains in summer can significantly impact your monthly energy costs. One of our major goals is to help you heat and cool your Birmingham area home and be as energy efficient as possible. Optimal energy use saves you money. It also brings you greater comfort by allowing more of the air you’re paying to condition to actually reach your living space.

Winter Heat Loss & Summer Heat Gain
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, air ducts that release heated air into unheated spaces can cost you hundreds of dollars more per year for heating and cooling your home. The amount of heat that leaks into these areas on its way to your registers can be considerable during the winter months.

The heat that’s absorbed by your ductwork in uninsulated attics in the summertime can neutralize a great deal of the cooling power your AC system generates before it ever gets anywhere near your living area. Two smart ways to combat these energy wasters are by duct sealing and duct insulation.

Minimize Utility Costs with Duct Sealing
Energy losses can occur when your ductwork passes through unheated/uninsulated spaces. One major way you can prevent this is by making sure your air ducts are well-sealed. While heat loss or gain can be caused by conduction — i.e., the absorption of heat through solid objects such as the walls of your air ducts — even greater gains and losses occur when there are also openings that allow air to enter or escape.

Having your air ducts tested for proper airflow and visually inspected to make sure all sections are well-connected, and all joints fit together tightly enough are your key first steps to saving energy. Our air duct experts also offer you insurance against these losses through our cost-effective duct sealing service.

This service is designed to fill in the gaps, holes and other openings that waste energy and compromise airflow.

Maximize Savings through Duct Insulation
Insulating the air ducts that run through the unconditioned spaces in your home is another simple way to lower utility bills even further while making it easier to maintain consistent comfort. This is a method the Department of Energy also recommends, along with sealing your air ducts, as a cost-effective way to make the most of your energy dollar.

When both solutions are used together, you receive maximum benefits.