Air ducts may start to leak for a number of reasons, including general wear and tear, improper installation, pest infestations, and more. Regardless of the reason, a leaky air duct needs to be fixed to ensure that your home is kept at the temperature that makes you comfortable. An average leaky air duct can lose 25 to 40 percent of the heating or cooling energy produced by the HVAC system. Common problems you may notice include:

• A leak in your air duct can cause your utility bills to become more expensive. Part of the air that is supposed to be cooled or heated is escaping into empty spaces in your home, such as between the walls and floors, before it gets to the areas of your home it is supposed to heat or cool.
• Leaks cause your HVAC system to work longer and harder to keep your home at the temperature you desire due to the air lost in the duct. This could even lead to a premature breakdown of your HVAC system, which will cost you additional money.
• An air duct leak will allow air into the duct as well as letting air out. This means that more dirt, dust, and other gross gunk is getting into your air ducts and being circulated through your home. It can also cause your air filters to clog more quickly.
• Leaky air ducts can also be very noisy. To reduce the noise you hear when your air is running, you may need to get your air ducts repaired or replaced.

Air duct repair services at Cates Heating and Cooling often consist of repairing tears or holes and resealing the ductwork system wherever needed. These services are much less involved than a total replacement of ductwork, which makes them less expensive. When possible, repairing your ductwork will be more cost-efficient than replacing it.

Many times, Cates Heating and Cooling will be able to repair air ductwork and fix all the problems customers are having. However, there are times where repair isn’t going to cut it. Cates can help each customer decide what option will be the best for their household long-term. Here are a few quick tips on when you should replace your air duct instead of repairing it:

• If you air ductwork is older than 10 or 15 years, you shouldn’t waste your time and money on repairs. At this point, you are likely to have continuous issues with the ductwork. Consider also the quality of the materials used to make the ducts. If the materials used to create the ductwork in your home are of poor quality, you may want to consider replacement after 7 or 8 years instead.
• Are there large holes or tears in the duct? What about disconnected joints? These issues may require more than a repair. Instead, you should work with your Cates technician to determine if replacement is the better option.
• Crushed or twisted portions of your ductwork should be replaced, because they obstruct the airflow through your home. These pieces are very hard to fix with just a repair job.
• Irregular airflow throughout your home may signify that your ductwork is starting to erode. If this is the case, you will be better off starting with a whole new system.

Before you decide on replacement, you may want to schedule a duct blower test with Cates Heating and Cooling. This test will measure the amount of leakage that occurs throughout your duct system.

For any replacement work that needs to be done, Cates Heating and Cooling will happily assist you with scheduling a time that is convenient for your lifestyle. Cates technicians work quickly and efficiently to get your air duct system fixed as soon as possible.

After the repair or replacement work is done, a Cates technician will conduct a test to be sure that the leaks have been fixed to ensure that you won’t continue to have the same issues you were having previously.

We service the entirety of the Kansas City Metro area.