Energy Efficiency

Your air ducts are one of the most important systems in your home, and if the ducts are poorly sealed or insulated they are likely contributing to higher energy bills.

Your home’s duct system is a branching network of tubes in the walls, floors, and ceilings; it carries the air from your home’s furnace and central air conditioner to each room. Ducts are made of sheet metal, fiberglass, or other materials.

Ducts that leak heated air into unheated spaces can add hundreds of dollars a year to your heating and cooling bills, but you can reduce that loss by sealing and insulating your ducts. Insulating ducts in unconditioned spaces is usually very cost-effective. Existing ducts may also be blocked or may require simple upgrades.

When is the last time that your air conditioning ducts have been checked for leaky connections, rodent damage, or kinks restricting proper air flow?

Unfortunately, your air ducts are often out of sight either in the attic or under the house and don’t get the proper attention. We recommend a duct inspection at least once every year (so does NADCA).

We can tell you this; the duct system has a very critical part in the proper operation of your “home as a system” even though your duct system is “outta sight & outta mind.” When you purchase a new A/C system you want it to last as long as possible & you want to get maximum performance out of the system as well.

Typical unsealed duct systems are a problem!

If you don’t test, it’s just a guess.

The secret is to have a Sealed Duct System with documented test numbers – not a guess or a quick peek. Test the ducts & make sure that you’re going to get all the performance you expect out of your new A/C equipment.

The test is called a “Blower Door” test or “Duct Leakage” test; some people use the term “Duct Blaster“ test.

Since most ductwork is located in attics or crawl spaces, the conditioned air that you paid for never gets into the house. Leaking supply ducts (where the A/C system blows air out) can lose large amounts of cooled/heated air to these unconditioned areas.

Leaking return ducts (where the A/C system sucks air in) can suck hot, cold, dusty or contaminated air into the conditioned space. Duct leakage significantly increases cooling and heating loads, sometimes beyond what the HVAC system can handle or provide.

Change Your A/C Filter! Because If you don’t have a good air filter YOU ARE ONE

We recommend you replace your air filter MORE in the summer because your A/C unit runs about 25-30% more during this time of year. If you have one of those 3-month filters and you let it go unchanged, it’s probably restricting the air flow & working your outside A/C unit harder than it needs to (more energy used plus more wear & tear on the System)

Call Gulf Coast Air Care to Get your Air Filters Now or click the button below to place your order. We have the highest quality air filters that will ensure your house will stay free of dust and other particles.

This is a very serious Life Safety Issue… You could have a fire in your dryer vent, not to mention the energy you’re wasting; the money is added to your utility bill and the clothes just seem to take forever to dry. I didn’t even mention the wear & tear on your dryer…

Don’t put your family or your home at risk…

Make your life easy with a clean, efficient appliance that will serve you for years to come!

We, at Gulf Coast Air Care & the local Fire Department, along with the NFPA (National Fire Protection Agency) strongly recommend annual dryer vent cleaning, at a minimum, to prevent lint buildup that could cause a fire in the vent or clothes dryer.

BE SAFE and not SORRY.

Check your ducts for air leaks. First, look for sections that should be joined but have separated and then look for obvious holes.

Duct mastic is the preferred material for sealing ductwork seams and joints. It is more durable than any available tape and generally easier for a do-it-yourself installation. Its only drawback is that it will not bridge gaps over ¼ inch. Such gaps must be first bridged with web-type drywall tape or a good quality heat approved tape.

If you use tape to seal your ducts, avoid cloth-backed, rubber adhesive duct tape — it tends to fail quickly. Instead, use mastic, butyl tape, foil tape, or other heat-approved tapes. Look for tape with the Underwriters Laboratories (UL) logo.

Remember that insulating ducts in the basement will make the basement colder. If both the ducts and the basement walls are not insulated, consider insulating both. Water pipes and drains in unconditioned spaces could freeze and burst if the heat ducts are fully insulated be-cause there would be no heat source to prevent the space from freezing in cold weather. However, using an electric heating tape wrap on the pipes can prevent this. Check with a professional contractor.

Hire a professional to install both supply and return registers in the basement rooms after converting your basement to a living area.

Be sure a well-sealed vapor barrier exists on the outside of the insulation on cooling ducts to prevent moisture condensation.

If you have a fuel-burning furnace, stove, or other appliance or an attached garage, install a carbon monoxide (CO) monitor to alert you to harmful CO levels.

Be sure to get professional help when doing ductwork. A qualified professional should always perform changes and repairs to a duct system.