Are Your Air Ducts Costing You Money?

According to the Department

of Energy

“The typical duct system loses 25% to 40%

of the energy put out by the central air conditioner.”

 

The problem with leaky ductwork is that air not only can leak out of you HVAC system and air ducts -- untreated and unclean air and contaminants from the attic can actually be pulled in to the air you and your family breathe.  We find 20% to 40% leakage in 3 out of 4 homes we visit.   Since so many air duct systems leak and pull bad air in, poor air quality is a problem that many homes have.

 

Repairing and patching leaks in HVAC duct systems saves cooling, heating, and fan energy. In air-based systems, ducts deliver all of the heating and cooling to conditioned spaces. Any duct leakage translates into extra air that must be supplied so sufficient heating or cooling reaches the conditioned space. This not only increases effective heating and cooling loads, it also increases fan energy due to increased flow and/or run time. Sealing duct leaks reduces the amount of heated or cooled air the supply fan must handle to deliver the same amount of air to the conditioned space.

 
Poor indoor air quality can lead to poor health. 
Do you have these problems in your home?  

• Excessive, unsightly dust?
• Hot or cold rooms?
• Dirt or sweating on vents?
• Hot humid air?
• Lingering or musty odors?
• High utility bills?
• Allergies, asthma, trouble sleeping or headaches?

Independent research shows 90% of homes have hidden air flow problems causing health, comfort, safety and efficiency issues. 

 

Permanent solutions to these irritants are now possible!

The Home & Duct Performance Evaluation is the 1st step in helping you identify the precise root cause of these persistent issues in your home & ultimately make you more COMFORTABLE and HEALTHY.

 

 

Jackson Total Service is an air conditioning, plumbing and electrical contractor in Naples, FL.  Contact us at (239) 643-0923 or on the web at www.jacksontotal.com

 

 

 

 

 

AC leak: Repair or Replace?

Are you preparing to make the decision whether it’s best to repair or replace your old air conditioning system?  In some cases, it may be in your best interest to invest the money you would spend on repairing the old equipment on a new system. 

 

I recently came across an article that discussed this conundrum.  Here is a simple approach that makes a lot of sense to me, the $5,000 rule. 

 

Here’s how it works:  Multiply the age of the equipment by the estimated repair cost.  If the result is higher than $5,000, replacement is probably your best bet.  If it is lower, you might do better to invest in repair.  For example, if the estimate to repair is $896 on a 10 year old system, the $5,000 rule of thumb indicates that you should replace your system.

 

Another factor to consider is refrigerant when determining whether to repair or replace.  If your unit has a leak and it uses R-22, adding several pounds of refrigerant can range from $550 to $1000.  The price of R-22 has risen dramatically as HVAC manufacturers stopped producing units that use R-22 in 2010.  It’s all about supply & demand.

 

Other factors to consider when determining if you need a new AC:

 

1.       How well the unit actually cools your home. 

2.       How often you have to call a technician for service.

3.       The size of your energy bills and how long you expect to live in your home.

 

Jackson Total Service is an air conditioning, plumbing and electrical contractor in Naples, FL. 

       Contact us at (239) 643-0923 3727 or on the web at www.jacksontotal.com