content
Duct System
Question: How do leaks occur in the duct system?
Answer: Homes are not static systems, and conditions change as your home ages. For example, tape adhesive dries out and caulking erodes. Workers or animals in your crawlspace or attic may disrupt ductwork. Many systems have supply vents in each room, but only one centrally located return vent for the whole home. When we close doors for privacy, air in that particular room can’t reach the return vent—but the supply duct is still bringing in conditioned air. It has to go somewhere, so air gets forced out any space available. Meanwhile, enough air isn’t entering the return duct, so unconditioned air from the attic, basement, garage or crawl space gets sucked in through weak spots, cracks or crevices. This situation can be avoided by having supply and return ducts in each room, or by adding vents in doors or in the space between the doorframe and ceiling. Also, keep furniture clear of air registers and return air vents. Anything that interferes with air circulation will make the system less efficient.
Question: How does the duct system work?
Answer: Air distribution or duct systems are designed to supply rooms with air that is “conditioned”—that is, heated or cooled by the heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) equipment—and to re-circulate or return the same volume of air back to the HVAC equipment. Your duct system has two main air transfer systems, supply and return. The supply side delivers the conditioned air to the home through individual room registers. The return side picks up inside air and delivers it to the air handler of your central system. Here heat and moisture are either removed or added and then delivered to the supply side. All of the air drawn into the return duct(s) is conditioned and should be delivered back through the supply registers.
Back to FAQ