Your air conditioning unit will only be as effective as your air ducts

During air conditioning installation, most homeowners only worry about the type of unit they intend to purchase as well as its energy efficiency. While these are legitimate concerns, another area of the home will also significantly affect the effectiveness of your AC system.

Your air ducts hold the key to better indoor air quality, energy efficiency and reduced costs. This is because leaking air ducts will reduce the quality of air that is pumped out by even the best air conditioning unit. Installing a high quality AC unit with poor ductwork in the home will offer no meaningful results. Therefore, it is important for you to work on your air ducts (making sure they are properly sealed) as part of the process of installing a new AC unit.

The negative effects of leaking air ducts

You may be wondering why it is so important to seal your air ducts and to prevent any leaks. Truth be told, air ducts are the main channels through which the cold air generated by your air conditioning unit will travel. Unless you're using a smaller AC that simply pumps cold air into one specific room, any central air conditioner will rely on a series of ducts and vents to channel air into multiple locations in the home. As a result, a leaking air duct will cause the following problems:

Reduced energy efficiency and higher utility bills

Did you know that a leaking air duct can reduce the energy efficiency of your HVAC system by up to 20%? Cold air that is generated from the compressor of the AC unit can fail to reach its required destination because it will leak out from the damaged ductwork.

As a result, certain rooms in the home will remain warmer than others, and the air conditioning unit will work harder and longer than it needs to. You will find yourself using more energy and incurring higher utility bills when you have leaking ducts in the home.

Poor indoor air quality

A leaking duct does more than interfere with your budget. These leaks also reduce the quality of indoor air. Dust and debris along with foul odours can easily penetrate the duct system and spread all over the home when the air conditioner is on.

The end result is poor indoor air that is filled with dust, allergens, and other contaminants.

A lower level of comfort in the home

Because leaking ducts make it harder for air to circulate efficiently throughout the home, they reduce the comfort of the entire indoor space. In fact, these leaks often lead to various rooms in the home being hotter or colder than others.

In light of these reasons, it's important to have your air ducts inspected for leaks so they can be sealed anytime you're planning to install a new AC.