How Your Ducts Can Be Stealing Money From You This Winter

Heating your home is expensive enough at the best of times. In fact, it’s one of the biggest expenses that American families have to shoulder. The last thing you need is wasted energy costing you extra money! If your home has ductwork, there’s a good chance it’s leaking your precious heated air and costing you a bundle. Here’s how that happens and what to do.

What are the benefits of heating duct repair?

• Prevents up to 30% of heated air from leaking into crawlspaces or walls
• Lowers energy bills by improving airflow efficiency
• Reduces wear and tear on your HVAC system
• Helps avoid frequent repairs and early system failure
• Improves indoor air quality by blocking dust and contaminants
• Ensures warm air reaches all intended rooms evenly

How Leaky Ducts Are Costing You Money

Ductwork is a great system for distributing your heated (or conditioned) air throughout your home to keep the temperature even and comfortable. But like anything else, it can develop problems over time. 

Sometimes it’s simply deterioration because of the age of the ducts. Sometimes it’s caused by specific damage. This could be an accident during home repairs, the nibbling of rodents, or a variety of other things. However it happens, it leaves your ducts with holes, tears, or cracks. The hot air you have to pay so much for is allowed to escape.

Unexpected Energy Costs from Faulty Ducts

The most obvious expense caused by leaking ducts is rising utility bills. When hot air is vented into the space around your ducts instead of the space you live in, you don’t get enough heat where you need it. Your heating system keeps running more and more in order to get your house warm, and it uses more and more energy to do that, potentially increasing your bill by 30%.

Another cost is heating repairs. Running more puts a lot of pressure on your furnace, causing little problems to pile up. And those cracks don’t just let hot air leak out, they can also pull contaminated air in from places like your attic. Sawdust, insulation fibers, mouse droppings and more will get into your furnace. This leads to friction, wear and tear, and overheating, and thus even more repair needs.

And when your furnace is facing all this extra strain, it will age more quickly. Eventually, vital components will fail, or repair costs will add up to the point where it makes more sense to simply replace the system. This is a big price to pay!

Finally, that contaminated air is not good to breathe. It can contain all sorts of allergens, germs, and respiratory irritants. How does that cost you money? Well, first there’s the missed work, either because you are ill or because you’re caring for an ill family member. And then there are the potential medical costs, like doctor’s appointments and medications. 

Professional Duct Repair Solutions

Damaged ducts can be repaired with a special sealant that is long-lasting and effective. Duct tape, unfortunately, does not work well on ducts despite the name. Because ducts expand and contract constantly as their temperature changes, duct tape dries out and flakes away. Professionals use a flexible sealant that can handle movement and temperature fluctuations.

Having your ducts professionally sealed is much more affordable than all those extra costs. When you get heating system maintenance in Sterling, VA, you can ask your technician about the condition of your ducts and whether sealing is necessary.

Frequently Asked Questions

Question: Why can my ducts be “stealing money” from me in winter?
Answer: If your ductwork has leaks, holes, gaps, or poor seals, a portion of the heated air escapes into unconditioned spaces (e.g. attic, crawlspace, between walls). That air never reaches your living areas — so you pay for heating that is wasted.

Question: How much energy or money can be lost due to leaky ducts?
Answer: Leaky ducts can waste around 20–30% of conditioned air, substantially increasing energy use and utility bills. In severe cases, losses can reach 30% or more.

Question: What are warning signs that my ducts might be leaking or inefficient?
Answer: Common signs include uneven heating in different rooms, unusually high heating bills, constantly running HVAC systems, weak airflow, or visible issues such as disconnected duct sections or damaged insulation.

Question: What should I do to fix or prevent the problem of leaky ducts?
Answer: The best solution is professional duct inspection and sealing using proper materials (mastic, metal-backed tape, or modern sealing methods) rather than relying on standard duct tape. Insulating ducts in unconditioned spaces and scheduling regular maintenance also helps maintain efficiency.

AllTech Services, Inc. is your trusted resource for all your heating concerns. Contact us today!