Before you spend time and money cleaning your air ducts, it’s important to make sure any major leaks or tears are sealed. Unaddressed leaks can drastically reduce the effectiveness of duct cleaning and waste your money.
Here are the reasons sealing leaks comes first:
- Leaks allow more dust and dirt inside. Unsealed tears and openings in your ductwork allow more dust, debris, dander and unwanted contaminants to get inside your ducts. These speeds up the rate at which ducts need cleaning.
- Less air reaches your rooms. The more holes and gaps in your ducts, the less efficiently air circulates to different parts of your home. They reduce airflow and comfort.
- Cleaning is less effective. If you clean ducts with major openings and tears, debris will quickly accumulate again through the leaks, negating the benefits of duct cleaning. Seal first to make cleaning as effective as possible.
- You’ll save money. Professionally cleaning ducts can cost several hundred dollars. But if major leaks are not addressed first, you may need to have them cleaned again in just a year or two. Sealing first extends the lifetime between cleanings.
Common ways to seal duct leaks include mastic sealant, reinforced metal tape, aluminum duct sealant and flexible sealant sleeves. Hire a professional to inspect your ductwork, identify any major openings and seal them properly prior to scheduling a duct cleaning. Recommend sealing major duct leaks and tears before cleaning to avoid wasting money on cleaning ducts that will just accumulate debris again quickly.
By addressing problems like tears, loose connections and openings before investing in a thorough duct cleaning, you can ensure all of your energy and money go toward ducts that will actually stay clean and functional longer. Make leak detection and sealing the first step in your duct cleaning and maintenance plan to optimize results.