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What Is the Average Cost of Duct Sealing?

NexGen What Is the Average Cost of Duct Sealing

The cost of duct sealing should be a consideration for any homeowner. According to ENERGY STAR, 20% to 30% of air that moves through residential ductwork can escape through holes and poor connections.¹ Your HVAC system must compensate r the loss of heated or cooled air, which requires a great deal of energy. Properly sealing ducts can stop air leakage so your AC and heating units can operate more efficiently.

Duct Sealing Costs

As of 2024, duct sealing can cost from $500 to $4,000. The average is $2,250.² It requires inspecting HVAC ducts that run behind walls, above ceilings, and under floors. While these usually remain hidden, they can break down over time. You’ll notice the difference in reduced comfort and increased energy costs.

Sealing ducts eliminates these issues. It also has long-term cost benefits. Nonetheless, it is not cheap. We’ll look at how duct sealing is priced for each project. These are some of the factors that influence the total cost:

Not every home of the same size has the same amount and layout of ductwork. Generally, home size vs. duct sealing costs look as follows:

How to Save on Duct Sealing

You can save money on duct sealing if you’re eligible for rebates. Many states, municipalities, and utility companies offer energy efficiency rebates on services like this. Scheduling an inspection costs money, but can save by either showing you don’t have a leak or identifying a small one to fix to improve efficiency. A pressure test confirms your ducts are sealed, so you know you’ll save on your heating and cooling bills. You can also save on duct cleaning if the technician is already working on your system.

Schedule Air Duct Sealing With NexGen

Clients throughout Southern California trust our licensed and insured technicians to seal, clean, and maintain their ductwork. Duct leaks can decrease HVAC system performance, increase utility bills, and cause noise throughout your home. We use the latest sealing methods to resolve these and other issues to make your heating and cooling system more reliable and efficient. To schedule duct sealing in your home, schedule an appointment online or call (833) 729-9735 today.

Sources:

  1. https://www.energystar.gov/saveathome/heating_cooling/duct_sealing 
  2. https://www.angi.com/articles/duct-sealing-cost.htm 

Signs You May Benefit from Duct Sealing

NexGen Signs You May Benefit from Duct Sealing

Sealing your air ducts can yield a range of benefits. Therefore, it’s important to recognize the signs of leaky ducts affecting your home. Air ducts are mostly in hard-to-access areas; you don’t usually see them. But some clues can indicate you may need duct sealing. Call an HVAC company if you notice:

Rooms Won’t Stay at the Right Temperature

When you walk through your home, do you notice one room is at a comfortable temperature, while another room may be too warm and another is too chilly? Leaky air ducts are a common cause of this problem. Holes, tears, and loose connections can prevent your central HVAC system from properly distributing air throughout your home.

Your Home Is Too Stuffy

Disruptions in airflow caused by leaky ducts can prevent your AC from circulating air, leading to stale and stuffy conditions. Resetting the thermostat won’t restore comfort. Neither will opening windows or running fans to increase ventilation. The problem won’t go away unless you address the underlying cause. 

High Indoor Humidity

Ideally, the humidity level in your home should be between 30% and 50%. Any higher and it can get quite uncomfortable, and mold and bacteria can grow. That’s because air leaks can prevent the removal of water vapor from appliances and allow humid air in from outside. Duct sealing can resolve such issues and also prevent pest infestations and damage to electronics.

Unpleasant Odors

Your HVAC system should provide comfortable air that is odor-free. If the air doesn’t smell fresh and clean, duct sealing can help. Otherwise, air from the kitchen may reach other parts of your home, so cooking odors may be present in, for example, a bedroom. Unfiltered, polluted air may also enter from outside, so odors from vehicle exhaust, smoke, or wildlife may be noticeable indoors.

Symptoms of Poor Indoor Air Quality

Leaky ducts can decrease indoor air quality, which is problematic because pollutants can be many times more concentrated than outdoors. These can include pollen, mold spores, smoke, dust, chemicals, and volatile organic compounds. They may cause symptoms such as eye, nose, and throat irritation as well as headache, dizziness, coughing, sneezing, sinus congestion, or shortness of breath.

Doors Move On Their Own

A simple test can help determine if you need duct sealing. Close all exterior doors and windows, and close your interior doors. Turn on the central air handler and set it as you usually would. Then, open the interior doors just slightly. After a while, check whether any of them have moved, which can indicate an issue with air circulation or pressure caused by an air duct leak.

Unusual Noises from Air Ducts

Poorly sealed ducts can create loud noises as conditioned air is distributed throughout the system. If air is escaping, you may hear loud whistling or hissing sounds. These are an indication of air loss. The system will work harder to compensate. Therefore, if ignored, the noises can precede equipment damage and breakdowns.

Dust Blowing Out of the Registers

If dust blows from vents when you turn on the AC or furnace, your ductwork may be contaminated. This is often due to leaks that allow in dust and debris. Call an HVAC company to determine if duct sealing can resolve the problem.

Air Ducts Have Visible Damage

Check ducts in your basement, attic, or crawlspace. If an air duct has holes, it must be sealed or otherwise repaired. Kinked or tangled ductwork should also be fixed. A leak can cause changes in air pressure that pull on flexible ducts. High pressure in any part of the system can create leaks and make existing ones worse.

Higher Utility Bills During the Cooling or Heating Season

Energy bills can fluctuate seasonally. But the signs you may benefit from duct sealing are most evident in summer and winter when your heating and cooling system works hardest. Conditioned air may be escaping into parts of your house that don’t need it. Your HVAC unit will also struggle to manage the temperature if hot or cold air is leaking in from outside. Therefore, it’ll use more energy and cause your utility bills to increase.

Call NexGen for Professional Duct Sealing

We use the latest methods to seal air ducts in Southern California homes. Our fully licensed and insured technicians use advanced tools to check for and measure air loss and identify the location of leaks. Any type of leakage can be fixed to restore comfort, indoor air quality, and efficiency. We ensure you’ll see short-term and long-term savings. To schedule an evaluation and duct sealing, call (805) 301-6788 today.