Your ductwork is easy to forget. It hides in your attic, crawlspace and walls. But it carries every bit of warm and cool air in your home. When ducts have problems, you feel it in your comfort, your energy bills and your air.
Two common duct services are duct sealing and duct cleaning. They sound alike, but they solve different problems. Here is what each one does, the signs you need it and when it makes sense to do both.
What Is Duct Sealing?
Duct sealing closes leaks in your ductwork. Over time, joints pull apart, tape dries out and seams open up. Air escapes through those gaps before it reaches your rooms.
ENERGY STAR estimates a typical home loses 20% to 30% of the air moving through its ducts to leaks and poor connections. In a Treasure Valley winter, that means warm air lost to a cold attic or crawlspace. Your furnace runs longer to make up for it.
A technician finds the leaks and seals them with duct mastic or approved foil tape. Standard cloth duct tape is not a good choice because it dries out and fails.
Signs You Need Duct Sealing
- Heating and cooling bills that keep rising
- Rooms that are much colder or hotter than others
- Weak airflow from some vents
- Extra dust, even with a clean filter
- A furnace or AC that seems to run nonstop
- Ducts with loose tape or gaps in the attic or crawlspace
What Is Duct Cleaning?
Duct cleaning removes dust, debris and buildup from inside your ducts. A technician uses brushes and air tools to loosen buildup and negative pressure to pull it out of the system. A full cleaning also looks at the blower, coil and drain pan.
The EPA does not recommend cleaning ducts on a fixed schedule. Instead, clean them when there is a clear reason.
Signs You Need Duct Cleaning
- Visible mold inside the ducts or on HVAC parts
- Signs of rodents or insects in the ductwork
- Dust or debris that blows out of your vents
- A remodel that left drywall dust or sawdust in the system
- A musty smell when the system runs
- You moved into a home with an unknown history
Duct Sealing vs. Duct Cleaning at a Glance
Duct sealing fixes where your air goes. Its main goal is efficiency and comfort. It helps lower energy bills, evens out room temperatures and keeps attic and crawlspace dust out.
Duct cleaning fixes what is inside your ducts. Its main goal is removing buildup. It helps when ducts hold heavy dust, pest debris, mold or remodel mess.
One closes the gaps. The other clears the inside. Neither one does the other’s job.
How Leaky Ducts Make Dirty Ducts
Here is where the two services connect. Your return ducts pull air from your home back to the furnace. If a return duct leaks, it also pulls air from wherever the leak is. In many homes, that means the attic, crawlspace or garage.
That air can carry dust, insulation fibers and fumes. It ends up in your ducts and your living space. Cleaning your ducts without sealing the leaks means the dust can come right back. Sealing your ducts without cleaning them leaves the old buildup in place.
When You Need Both
Many homes only need one service. But doing both makes sense when:
- Your ducts are dusty and also leaking
- You found pests in your ducts and they got in through gaps or tears
- You are buying an older home and want a fresh start
- You are replacing your furnace or AC and want the new system to run clean and efficient
- You have had a remodel and your ducts also show signs of leaks
When you do both, clean first and seal second. That way, the sealed system starts clean. If any ducts are crushed, torn or disconnected, duct repair should come before sealing too.
What About Your Air Quality?
Both services can help your indoor air. Sealing keeps attic and crawlspace dust out. Cleaning removes what has already built up. But your air filter does most of the daily work. Change it on schedule and consider an upgrade. Our air purification and filtration options trap fine dust and smoke before it settles in your ducts.
Want to know where your air problems come from? Indoor air quality testing can show whether you have a dust problem, a humidity problem or both. For more winter air tips, read how indoor air quality affects your family’s health this winter.
Can You Do It Yourself?
You can seal easy-to-reach duct joints with mastic or foil tape. You can also vacuum vent covers and change your filter. But most leaks hide in tight attics and crawlspaces. A full duct cleaning needs special equipment to pull debris out without spreading it through your home. For the best results, call a professional.
Get Honest Advice on Your Ductwork
Not sure if you need sealing, cleaning or both? We will inspect your ducts and tell you what we find. If your ducts do not need cleaning, we will say so. You get upfront pricing before any work begins.
Learn more about our duct sealing and duct cleaning services. Owyhee has served the Treasure Valley since 1946, and our team works in Boise, Meridian, Nampa, Caldwell and Eagle. Call (208) 315-6446 to schedule a visit.
