How Much Does Air Duct Sealing Cost and Why it is Needed?

If you’re frustrated at the apparent inefficiency of your HVAC system, it’s important to know that the culprit may not be in the machinery. In fact, you could have a perfectly efficient air conditioner and furnace but still have issues with efficiency if your ducts are not properly sealed.

Duct sealing is part art and part science, and it results in a system of well-insulated and sealed ducts that efficiently deliver air throughout your home. If this sounds like an upgrade your ducts could use, keep reading to learn more about the process involved.

What is the Average Cost to Seal Your Air Ducts

Unlike other HVAC repairs, the average cost of air duct sealing depends largely on the existing infrastructure. For an average job, though, you can expect to pay anywhere from $1,000 to $2,500. The large range of average costs reflects the reality that no two jobs are alike, meaning it’s best to have a technician stop by to give you a more accurate estimate.

Factors That Affect the Cost of Duct Sealing

Factors that determine the cost of a duct sealing project include the size and age of the ductwork, the size of your home, the accessibility of the ductwork, and how the ductwork is currently sealed and insulated. Here is a more detailed explanation of some of these factors.

The first and most important factor that determines the cost is the size and age of your ductwork. A sprawling system of ducts that are retrofitted to an older home will be quite complicated to seal and insulate properly, thus raising the cost. On the other hand, a smaller home that was built recently and still has most of its ducts exposed will be lower in cost.

To add to this point is the fact that dual HVAC systems typically double the cost involved in duct sealing. Since each system of ducts is separate from the other, each has to be treated as its own individual project. Given the benefits of duct sealing, though, this increased cost is well worth it.

As mentioned, the accessibility of the ductwork also plays an important role in determining the price of a duct sealing project. If your home’s ductwork is located in an unfinished attic or basement, then it is a prime candidate for duct sealing. This is because, in addition to being easy to access, these exposed ducts are in desperate need of insulation to improve their efficiency.

This idea of exposed ducts overlaps with the last factor determining duct sealing cost, and that is the current status of your ducts when it comes to sealing and insulation. If your ducts are neither sealed nor insulated, the project cost will be higher than if the joints of your ducts are already sealed.

Alternatively, if your ducts have been previously sealed and insulated, but those measures have become worn out, then it will cost more to remove the old insulation, clean the ducts, and install new materials.

How Long Does Duct Sealing Take?

In an ideal environment, the average duct sealing job takes about two hours. This refers exclusively, however, to putting mastic sealant on the duct joints and allowing it to dry. Additionally, this assumes that the ducts are easily accessible and that no other extenuating circumstances present themselves during the course of the project.

Beyond these foundational factors, most of the same factors that influence the price of a project also determine its longevity. Obviously, larger, harder-to-access ducts will take longer to seal properly than easy-to-access ducts in a small home. Additionally, it’s a good idea to have your ducts sealed in a secondary manner, which is also called insulating your ducts. In insulation, plywood or foam is used to isolate the soffit where the ducts are located from the rest of the surrounding space.

This is especially important if your ducts are in an uninsulated attic or basement, as the ducts need to be protected from extreme temperatures in order to allow your HVAC system to work efficiently. If you desire to have your ducts sealed in this manner, along with the basic sealing of joints, then this will add significant time to the project.

What are the Benefits of Duct Sealing?

Duct sealing helps your HVAC system to operate more efficiently in a variety of ways. Two key components of duct efficiency are a duct’s ability to move air from place to place without being interrupted and a duct’s ability to minimize energy transfer with the surrounding air, meaning you don’t want them to transfer heat or cold until the air gets to the room you are trying to heat or cool. Duct sealing helps with both of these things.

When it comes to uninterrupted airflow, duct sealing helps by filling in the gaps that are present at each joint in the ducts. As air flows through the ducts, these joints can allow air to escape, which can reduce the overall heating and cooling capacity of your HVAC system. If the joints, and any other holes, are sealed, however, then all the air that leaves the central HVAC system will arrive at the vents.

As far as minimizing energy transfer, duct sealing helps prevent unconditioned air from the cavities where ducts are located from entering into the ducts. Since air of different temperatures seeks to mix until it reaches equilibrium, the unconditioned air outside the ducts and the conditioned air inside the ducts are at risk of mixing, thus lowering the efficiency of your HVAC system. If the ducts are sealed, however, this mixing is much less likely, meaning your home will be heated and cooled much more quickly and efficiently.

Why Choose the Phoenix AC & Heating Experts for Duct Sealing?

As mentioned at the beginning of this article, duct sealing is part science and part art. If it were all science, it would be easy for anyone with the right tools to do correctly. However, in many projects, there are unique factors that make it more challenging. This is where the art aspect of duct sealing comes in. With the experienced technicians from the Phoenix AC & Heating Experts in charge of the project, they can navigate these challenges to ensure your ducts are sealed tightly.

Additionally, you can count on the caring professionals of the Phoenix AC & Heating Experts to be able to take care of the rest of your HVAC needs, as well. Our trained staff can take on just about any HVAC project to ensure your entire system is ready and able to provide you with the comfort you deserve.

Plus, all of this experience is available through a company that consistently receives five-star reviews from its customers because of our outstanding customer service and our affordable prices. If this sounds like a company you want to use for your HVAC needs, give us a call today.