The efficiency of an HVAC system depends on its ducts. Any pits in the duct cause the warm and cool air to escape leading to inefficient functioning of the entire system. Even worse, holes also let airborne contaminants, mold particles, dust, dirt, and chemical vapors enter the home. This may lead to bad indoor air quality. So, if you have damaged air ducts, you should know how to repair air duct holes and gaps.
REPAIRING AIR DUCTS HOLES AND GAPS
Seal the Tiny Holes
If your ductwork is damaged, you must first wash it with soapy water, rinse with fresh water and let it completely dry. After this, you can use foil-backed tape to seal the duct gap. This tape is safe to use at high temperatures. Unapproved tapes (for this use) may lead to a fire hazard.
Conceal the Bigger Holes
After washing the ducts, you should measure the duct hole dimensions and cut out a one-inch larger 26-gauge sheet metal. Then attach the metal patch over it. While patching a sheet metal duct, you may use a power screwdriver to drive the metal screw into each angle. If your system has a fiberboard duct, you can attach the patch with a shred of foil tape along every side. Then, use a drop of silicone seal around the patch edges to prevent any leakages.
A damaged duct can significantly reduce the efficiency of an HVAC unit. While living in Georgia, US you must have connections with reliable service providers of Air Duct Repair and Replacement in Alpharetta. If this issue is not dealt with at the right time, the problem can worsen. In some severe cases, the lost energy may cost more than the repair cost.
HVAC DUCT TYPES AND ITS REPAIR
All duct systems have a similar purpose. Though, the installation methods and locations might vary. So, while performing Air Duct Cleaning in Alpharetta, you must always wear suitable personal protective equipment (PPE) for safety.
Sheet Metal Ducts
Many homes in Georgia, US use electrified sheet metal ducts that run through floor beams. Heat blistering from these ducts warm the floors. As a result, the sealants lose their grasp and let the heat escape.
To repair the sheet metal duct, you need to loosen the dangling braces on each side of the repair region. Then lower down the duct to detect the seepage point. Chances are that a lost or wrongly installed s-lock caused the huge opening. In this case, you need to remove the joint and reconnect it the right way.
You can repair the s-lock by cutting the old resin from the perimeter of the joint using a knife. Then remove any screws and flatten the tabs on the ends and tug them from the joint. Detach the joint and seal the duct joint.
Fiberglass Duct Board
A Heating, Ventilation & Air Conditioning System that has a fiberglass duct board hardly requires repair or maintenance except for regular cleaning. Professional Air Duct Cleaning in Alpharetta employs world-leading technicians that use powerful vacuum cleaners to empty duct accumulation from the interior system. Continuous contact with excessive moisture infects and destroys fiberglass. Damp sections may develop mold, and the experts suggest the replacement of soaked duct boards.
You need to drain the duct section in a bucket till it stops dripping. After this, you should remove the damaged area. Then you need to form a replacement patch as per the measurements and cut the duct board with a non-serrated knife.
After this, you need to insert the patch on the hold and press hard until it is successfully installed. The majority of duct board systems need the layer around the air manager or heating system repaired. This usually happens when the installer ignored the cleaning of all grease, oil, and debris from the surface. Also, if he failed to cap the external side of the plenum with a mesh.
In specific circumstances, when the interior design fixes the air manager or heating system in a tiny closet, the constricted space prevents the installer from fastening areas of the duct’s external surface. In this scenario, the installer needs to make an access hole and seal the joint from within.
Flex Duct
Sometimes, home examinations may expose a visible AC duct collar, when the pressure forces the external lining and insulation away from the collar. This issue significantly diminishes the system’s efficiency.
To repair this issue, you need to include additional hanger straps besides sliding connection and duct path. After this, you need to detach the loose liner in a way that it correctly covers insulation. Then attach the outer liner by applying mastic.
One other common type of AC duct damage is torn flex. Scratches in the external liner usually occur when an installer drags flex duct section across the roof, and the external liner clasps on a peg or string connector plate. The majority of the time, the installer detects the damage and fixes it. However, sometimes the damage is overlooked, and the problem might occur when the warranty period finishes.
To repair this, you need to close the external liner’s scratch and seal the hole using a mesh. Don’t forget to cover the mesh with duct mastic.
Replacement of Flex Duct
In some circumstances, a crumpled duct or animal injury may cause you to replace the flex duct. The new section is a part of the original system’s duct collars and pegs. You need to remove the dented flex and expose the internal liner, then install a splice connector, measure the dimensions of the replacement region, prepare the new flex according to the measurements and install the new flex.
Read more
