Duct Systems & Crawl Space Services In Raleigh, NC

What are Duct Systems & Crawl Spaces?

When you think about the indoor air quality in your home, you may not realize the role your crawl space and ductwork play. When you have leaky ductwork or poor air quality in your crawl space, it can really affect all of the living spaces throughout your home.

At American Comfort Services, we service Raleigh crawl spaces and duct systems to help improve the indoor air quality inside your home and increase your home's energy efficiency.

Ductwork Insulation

When we're talking about ductwork, we're talking about the system of ducts and pipes that circulate hot or cool air throughout your home. If you look in your basement and attic, they are the sheet metal or fiberglass conduits that you see.

Your ductwork is an integral part of your home. Did you know that close to 25% of the energy you use for the heating and cooling of your home disappears due to leaky ductwork? According to the Department of Energy, homeowners lose hundreds of dollars a year in heating and cooling costs. This is why it's so important that it is insulated properly.

There is more than one way to insulate ductwork. The duct can either be wrapped in a foil-faced blanket or spray foam insulation can be applied to the outside of the duct. When you call American Comfort Services for insulating services, we can help you determine which type of insulation best suits your ductwork configuration and budget.

Benefits of Duct Insulation

There are several benefits of calling American Comfort Services to insulate your ductwork.

Energy Savings

If your ductwork is located in your crawl space, the duct's temperature will be the same as the temperature of the crawl space.

Your crawl space can be significantly colder than your home's living space. When the hot air leaves your furnace and hits the cold ducts in your crawl space, it gets cooled down and is released through the vents at a lower-than-desired temperature. This means your furnace is working harder than it should. The opposite is true on a hot summer day when it comes to cooled air.

When you add insulation to your ductwork, it regulates the temperature. This keeps your ducts from being affected by the temperature in the crawl space. As a result, your HVAC system is not working as hard so you're saving money on your energy bills.

Insulation also increases the life expectancy of the furnace. Since it's not working as hard, you should save on repairs and replacement costs.

Condensation Prevention

When your ducts aren't insulated, condensation can build up. This leads to moisture. Moist environments are breeding grounds for mold and mildew. When these form, serious health problems can arise due to poor air quality. By insulating your ductwork, you are preventing condensation and the issues that can go along with it.

Better Air Quality

Air leakage through ducts can also lead to indoor air quality problems. Drawing crawl space air into the air that is supplied throughout your home can lead to allergens and air quality issues. Insulating ductwork can prevent leaky ducts.

Why You Need to Maintain Your Crawl Space

Many people don't think about their crawl space because they don't see it. A crawl space is typically found under your home. It has limited height and is mainly there to allow access to wiring, plumbing, and HVAC equipment.

Ignoring your crawl space and the air that circulates inside it can lead to dangerous conditions inside your home. If you don't maintain your crawl space, you could be dealing with several of the following problems:

Mold Growth

When air and moisture find their way into your crawl space, mold can form. The dark, damp area is the perfect environment for mold to grow and reproduce by making spores. These spores can go into the air and cause health problems. They can lead to allergies and respiratory problems in healthy people and make asthma symptoms worse.

Radon Poisoning

Your crawl space can become a spot for radon. Radon gas is a natural gas that occurs when radioactive elements break down and decay. Uranium is a common element that produces radon when it decays. Rocks and soil under your home may contain uranium, so there is radon under your property that comes out naturally in the form of gas.

Since radon can be lurking under your property, there is a chance it can enter your home through your crawl space joints. Radon is a colorless, odorless, and tasteless gas that can be difficult to detect. This is why maintaining your crawl space is so crucial. By keeping your crawl space encapsulated, you can help to prevent radon from seeping in and causing serious health problems.

Poor HVAC Performance

Since most HVAC systems are located inside your home's crawl space, it increases the risk of dirty air circulation inside your house through leaks that can develop between sections of the ductwork. These leaks can also lead to mold forming in air ducts and making its way through your home.

While the system can filter some of the air, it cannot sterilize it which means you can inhale impurities and may be breathing air that comes from your crawl space.

Crawl Space Encapsulation

A crawl space encapsulation system is one way to solve your crawl space-related problems. This works by sealing your crawl space to keep moisture away.

Sheets of polyethylene plastic are used to seal off the crawl space. When you keep excess moisture away, you can minimize leaks and water damage. You can also prevent mold growth and mildew inside the crawl space.

An encapsulation system can help to strengthen your home's foundation and prevent it from cracking. It can also help to reduce your energy bills because air will not be escaping through the cracks.

Before you have an encapsulation system installed, you'll want to prepare your crawl space, This means eliminating any standing water and making sure all rocks and other debris are gone. Also, make sure there is no damaged or loose electrical wiring.

When you call American Comfort Services for your crawl space encapsulation system, we will make sure your area is ready to go.