5 Tips to Improve Indoor Air Quality and Cut Electric Bills

Homeowners are no strangers to increasing electric bills in the summer months due to hotter temperatures and increased humidity and the load they put on the air conditioning units. But, they may be unaware that they can cut their electric bills up to 30 percent by taking proper care of their homes’ air duct system.

Many older homes have leaks, holes, and poorly fitted connections on their air ducts that cause a significant loss of heated and cooled air into the attic space. This air loss can cost homeowners hundreds of dollars every year and shorten the life span of their heating and air conditioning units.

Also, since most attics get dusty and dirty, those pollutants can get sucked into the air conditioning system and distributed throughout the house, leading to unhealthy indoor air quality.

“We know indoor air pollution is a major health concern, especially for people with respiratory symptoms. Having uneven temperatures and humidity levels due to a leaky duct system could aggravate such health conditions, so we encourage homeowners to check their air ducts at least once a year,” said Anthony Perera, founder of Air Pros USA.

Perera explains that to prevent these scenarios, homeowners should make sure ducts are sealed, either the old-fashioned way or by hiring a professional to balance the air temperature, save energy, reduce electric bills, and improve the air quality.

Although many people may have never climbed into their attics, here are five basic steps to seal ductwork, from the outside of the ducts:

1. Cover your nose and mouth with a mask or a scarf to avoid inhaling any dust and dirt accumulated in the attic.

2. Grab a flashlight and carefully crawl into the attic to visually inspect all accessible ductwork.

3. Then, turn the HVAC system on and inspect all the connections and joints around the air ducts. 

4. Once the problem is identified, use HVAC aluminum foil, found at most home repair stores, to seal holes and secure fittings.

5. To get a good seal, use a continuous strip of the foil to seal off all longitudinal seems along the straight runs of the duct. Repeat until all the ductwork is insulated.

An alternative is to seal the ductwork from the inside of the ducts, which is actually more efficient and a complicated process and will likely require hiring a professional.

To help homeowners get control of their leaky ducts,  Air Pros USA Residential and Commercial Air Conditioning Services (Air Pros USA) is offering a new duct sealing service using Aeroseal ‘s advanced technology to provide customers with a quick, proven solution to improve indoor air quality, boost system efficiency, and reduce energy bills.

“While DIY methods can fix leaky ducts to a certain extent, depending on the home’s age and location we recommend homeowners call a professional who can help tackle the problem at its core,” said Perera.

There are several benefits of having a home’s ducts professionally sealed. A well-designed and properly sealed duct system can often increase in system performance that allows better cooling, heating, and dehumidification in homes, elimination of dust, allergens, and odors coming from unconditioned spaces, and lower energy bills.

To learn more about Air Pros’ duct sealing services and to schedule an appointment, visit https://airprosusa.com/ or call 877-561-9730.