FAQ

Since the days when we began heating and cooling our homes, service agreements have only included checking the heating and cooling equipment.

Until now, our industry has lacked the technology and the skills to include the duct system in your service agreement and measure the operating capacity of your system. Until recently, when a system didn’t work, our only option was to replace the equipment. This often did little to improve system performance.

Now we include the duct system and testing system performance as part of our service and can diagnose and pinpoint system deficiencies.

Your Report is the first step in analyzing your system. If you are happy with your delivered efficiency, no further steps need to be taken.

If, however, you find you are only getting 50, 60, or 70 percent of the rated equipment capacity, you may want to have further testing and diagnosis completed to determine how performance can be improved.

Our company is well-equipped to provide you with the testing and knowledge to enable you to make the best decision possible.

It could be, as long as the duct system is in the same condition as the new equipment. If it isn’t, the system will only function as well as the ducts do. Compare it to installing a brand-new race car engine in an old, beat-up sedan.

Airflow through the duct system is what carries heating or cooling to each room in your home. By adjusting the volume of airflow, we adjust the amount of heating or cooling that a room needs to become comfortable.

No. We perform the test while your system is running under normal operating conditions.

Ducts move air, and the air is invisible. So, to determine if your ducts work or not, air properties must be measured.

Our NCI-certified personnel can measure how much air goes to each room and compare it to how much is needed.

We will also take other measurements, including temperatures and pressures, to determine how well your ducts work. Then we will review the results of the test with you.

The typical duct renovation includes removing damaged ducts, straightening them, adding proper suspension, and sealing all the joints. Sometimes larger ducts need to be installed in certain rooms or the registers and grilles need to be replaced.

We will review the test results with you and make recommendations for duct repairs or additions. Other improvements might include adjusting fan speeds or improving your air filtration system.

Our personnel should test and adjust the results of our work when the duct renovation has been completed. This step is called air balancing. Up to just 20 years ago, air balancing was performed only on large commercial buildings.

Today you can get this same precision adjustment in your home from our NCI-trained and certified personnel. We will provide you with a test report showing the final operating condition of your system compared to how it functioned before the repairs were made.

In other words, we will prove that you got what you paid for — in writing!

Unfortunately, few know or own the tools and instruments needed to measure the performance of your duct system. If they can’t measure it, they have no idea how to fix it, or even where to begin. They assume that the ducts are just fine.

Here’s an example: A 30% return duct leak on a hot or cold day can decrease your heating or cooling capacity by more than 50%. That may sound extreme, but it’s not an uncommon condition.

No. While duct sealing is done as part of a renovation, sealing by itself cannot address many of the flaws in a duct system.

In many cases, just sealing the duct can make the problem worse, as it could choke down airflow causing equipment failure and major comfort problems.

In extreme cases, it has caused back-drafting of flues leading to dangerous carbon monoxide problems.

Your comfort will increase. A good renovation will also improve indoor air quality and reduce energy use.

Typical household cleaning contains mold growth in visible areas and normal household cleaning products can clean susceptible surfaces including the shower and tub areas, or around sinks. Use exhaust fans after showering. Repair any plumbing or roof leaks. Always clean up spills or flooding immediately and control humidity inside the house.

It’s your air conditioning system’s job to ventilate your home. The ducts are designed to supply and return airflow to each room. If there is a mold infestation in your home, an increased amount of mold spores become present. Because the air conditioning system constantly recycles air throughout your home, it can become infected by the active mold culture. When this happens, you’ll first notice mold on the registers.

In rare cases, mold can be caused by the air conditioning system due to lack of maintenance, clogged or leaking drain pans, etc. These HVAC-related causes can usually be corrected by our personnel.