As a homeowner, you’ve probably heard someone mention “air ducts” at some point when the conversation turns to your home’s HVAC. But what exactly are they, and how do they help your home stay warm in the winters and cool in the summers? Maybe more importantly, how would you know if there’s something wrong with them? We’re here to give you the low-down on this critical part of your HVAC system, from what your air ducts do to how you can keep them in good working order for years to come.
The Role Air Ducts Play in Your Home
So, what exactly are your air ducts? Also referred to as your home’s “ductwork,” your air ducts are a network of tubes, typically made of sheet metal, which runs throughout your home and transports air from your heating and air conditioning equipment into every room. Your HVAC’s blower pushes newly heated or cooled air throughout distribution air ducts, which transport and release the air into each room. Simultaneously, your return ducts pull old air from each room back to your HVAC equipment, where the air gets filtered, heated or cooled, then pushed back out into your home in a continuous cycle.
There are a few different parts that make up your air ducts:
- Pipes: These connect your HVAC equipment to every room in your home and make up the majority of your air ducts.
- Trunk: Typically the largest part of your air ducts, this piece connects your HVAC unit to the pipes.
- Transitions: These connect your pipes and trunks together.
- Plenum: You typically have two of these boxes, which help push air from your HVAC equipment into your air ducts: your supply plenum, which distributes fresh air into your ducts, and your return plenum, which collects old air from each room and directs it to your unit.
- Flue: This pathway allows exhaust and toxic fumes from your air ducts to be released outside.
- Air handler: This comprises your HVAC’s blower fan, air filter, dampers, and the components that actually heat and cool your air.
- Drain pans/drain lines: These trap and drain any excess moisture that might collect in your air ducts.
- Refrigerant lines: These allow refrigerant to travel between your indoor and outdoor HVAC units.
Why You Should Keep Your Air Ducts Clean
When your air ducts do their job properly, your home’s airflow is consistent and efficient, the temperature is evenly warmed or cooled across each room, and the air you breathe is free of dust, dander, and pollen. Your air ducts working as they should also keeps your entire HVAC system running smoothly, extending its overall life and making it so you can go longer before having to pay for a new heater or air conditioner.
Over time, dust and allergens can build up in your ducts and end up blocking the airflow into certain rooms. This dirt can also get into the air circulating throughout your home, which can increase the severity of household allergies or cause other respiratory issues. That’s why HVAC experts suggest getting your air ducts cleaned by professionals every 3–5 years. HVAC techs use a powerful, specialized vacuum that can remove grime from your ducts in a matter of hours. Techs will also check for any leaks in your ducts to ensure that the air is properly circulating and no air is escaping, and will also make sure that no carbon monoxide is leaking into your home.
You can also help keep your air ducts clean by regularly cleaning your air vent covers around the house. This doesn’t have to be a highly involved process, either—simply vacuum around the vent cover and then wash the cover with a little soap and water.
When to Call the Experts
Most of the time, you hardly notice your air ducts. But if you’re experiencing any of the following things, it might be time to reach out to an HVAC professional:
- Certain areas in your home are hotter or colder than others
- The airflow from your vents is limited
- You hear loud noises, like a rattling or whistling, coming from your vents
- Your energy bills are much higher than normal
- Your vent covers are much dirtier than usual
- The air in your home contains more dust or dander than usual
- There’s an unpleasant odor in your home
- There’s visible mold, rodents, or insects inside your vents or around your vent covers
If any of these things are happening in your home, first, make sure to replace your air filter and check that you don’t have any furniture blocking your vents. If you’ve done both of these things and are still experiencing issues, give your HVAC company a call.
Now that you know what your air ducts are and how important they are to your home’s HVAC system, you can feel confident in knowing when everything’s working properly and when something might be off. And if you want to make sure you never miss an air duct maintenance ever again, check out our Platinum Maintenance Plans. You’ll get two HVAC service visits a year, as well as discounts on repairs and diagnostic charges—and we’ll make sure to tell you when it’s time to clean out your air ducts. Give us a call to learn more or to ask us any other questions you may have about this essential part of your HVAC!