The air quality in your Georgia home is important to both your health and your comfort, especially if you have asthma or allergies. The following problems in your duct system can have a negative effect on your indoor air quality.
Leaks in the Return Ducts
Often, return ducts run through poorly sealed areas in your home, such as crawl spaces or attics. Leaking ducts or disconnected joints can draw unconditioned air into your HVAC system, in addition to whatever particles surround the leak, such as dust, mold spores, pollen or insect droppings. These substances can reduce your indoor air quality and potentially cause health problems.
Leaks in the Supply Ducts
When supply ducts are leaking or obstructed, the total volume of air supplied by the HVAC system can be reduced. If the return ducts are still drawing in the same amount of air, a negative pressure zone can develop inside your home, sucking contaminants in through air leaks around poorly sealed windows, doors, exhaust vents and openings for pipes or electrical cables.
Leaking Combustion Gases
When there’s a negative pressure inside your home, combustion devices that would naturally vent through the roof, such as furnaces and stoves, may instead expel their gases into your home. This is because the negative pressure overcomes the natural chimney effect, through which hot air rising out of the vent system draws the combustion gases out of your home.
Increased Humidity
Leaks in the supply or return ducts can cause excess moisture to be drawn into your home. This can lead to mold growth in your air ducts, HVAC system and other areas of your home. Mold spores can cause health problems, especially for those with asthma or allergies, and some types can be toxic and costly to remove.
Learn more about improving indoor air quality, as well as McDevitt Air’s indoor air quality solutions, or call 877-692-9402. We serve Savannah, Pooler, Bluffton and the surrounding areas.
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