When it comes to home maintenance, most homeowners never stop to think about their duct work. This is a mistake. Damaged or dirty ducts can have a substantially negative impact on your indoor air quality. Leaky ducts also compromise the efficiency of air flow which in turn, increases the cost of heating and cooling your home.

Your annual HVAC performance checkup should include an examination of all air ducts to ensure they’re clear of debris and in working order. Between HVAC maintenance appointments, keep an eye out for these four signs you may require an air duct repair or cleaning service.

  • Growing energy bills.

If your energy bills are trending upwards without a viable reason, this signals a problem with your ventilation, insulation or HVAC system. In many cases, faulty or broken duct work is the likely culprit. Tears in a duct and ill-fitting ducts both discharge valuable conditioned air before it ever has a chance to reach its intended destination.

  • Hot and cold rooms.

If you find a room particularly difficult to heat or cool, no matter what temperature you set the thermostat, your home may require air duct repair. Somehow, somewhere air is escaping from a duct. This is what’s causing uneven air flow in one or more of the rooms in your home.

  • Strange noises.

It’s quite normal to hear a banging noise as your HVAC system kicks on and off. However, it is unusual for that noise to remain. Constant banging, whistling or popping sounds indicate a deeper issue with your HVAC system. Sometimes inadequate ductwork design is to blame. Ducts that aren’t placed to achieve optimal air flow often end up sending conditioned air into unoccupied areas such as attics and crawlspaces.

  • Dirtier than usual air filters.

Air filters are made to catch dirt and debris, so it can be tough to tell when your air filter is dirtier than it should be. However, an overly dirty air filter is a valid symptom of a potential duct issue. After all, a leak can pull air in just as easily as it can push air back out. And when a leaky duct draws in air, it often brings dirt, dust and airborne contaminants along with it.

When deciding between air duct repair or cleaning, call on the expertise of your HVAC specialist Tampa. He or she will examine your air ducts and provide you with proper guidance based on what is found.