I know I am not the only one, to go order a drink and to get the straw that has been bent and broken and has holes. Usually happens when I am really looking forward to that cool, refreshing drink. You take it out of its bholsterb (thin paper casing), stick it through the hole at top of the cup (to keep you from wearing it.) And then you dive in, only to realize, the straw is broken. Sure, you can put enough pressure on it to get something from it, but something is definitely wrongb&.and it is unsatisfying. So you pull the straw out partially, try to seal the hole with your fingers….It is a lot of work. Isnbt it?
Well, Comfort Delivery Problem #1: The duct system has large air leaks is not that different. In fact, if you have any healthcare experience, we are talking about arteries and veins (with a small difference I will explain later.)
But here is the simple of the problem:

• Duct leaks prevent your heating and cooling system from doings its job properly. Heated or cooled air leaks out of holes or gaps in the supply ductwork before it ever reaches the house (the arteries.)
• Leaks in the ductwork also pull outside air (hot in summer, cold in winter) into the ducts, forcing your equipment to run longer to keep you comfortable (the veins.) This one I want to revisit further. (the veins)

So what are some of the other issues associated with that?

• Duct leaks can draw humid outside air into the house, overwhelming the ability of your cooling system to dehumidify. This can cause your house to feel damp even when the air conditioning is running.
• Duct leaks can also pull pollutants and irritants such as mold, insulation fibers, car exhaust, pollen and dust directly into the house.

Here is my BUT: (and this makes perfect sense) if your ductwork is located in an attic or crawl space it can be easily reached and remedied. Usually when you cannot reach it, it is within your benvelope,b the area defined as your living space. Sure, there is loss there too, but it still being lost in your living space.
So go ahead, look at it. And you should definitely expect a professional, someone like us, too. Oftentimes, air leaks are actually easy to spot with naked eye. You just havenbt been told what to look for yet. But just with the broken straw, I have a mental list of who in my area has the good quality straws that are the least likely to be bent or broken, and who it seems doesnbt. Seems like such a small thing to feel refreshed and satisfied, but something made me start keeping that mental list. In our next blog, I will discuss finding duct leakage in more detail, as always, feel free to contact us if you would like us to evaluate your system (and in case you are in other region of the country or Canada, contact us anyway, we can refer you to professionals such as us in your area.) Just click here.