Have you rushed to your thermostat to beat the summer heat, only to find that your system isn’t pumping out cool, refreshing air like it used to? Alternatively, maybe some rooms are hotter than others or your energy bill is way higher than it should be. While you might immediately assume that the problem is your AC unit, it may actually be your ducts.
Due to normal wear and tear, air ducts will develop holes, cracks, and tears that cause conditioned air to escape. Rather than cooling off your living spaces, you’re instead wasting energy—and money—blasting cold air into your attic, crawlspace, or behind your walls. Plus, the cracks are constantly pushing out dust, dirt, and other contaminants all over your house.
The best solution to this problem is duct sealing, and the cost will depend on a variety of factors, such as:
Keep reading to learn more about these cost factors and how much you can realistically expect to pay for duct sealing.
At Red Cap, we treat our customers like family. When you call us for duct sealing, you’ll receive the best possible care with honest prices and convenient scheduling. We also pride ourselves on prompt arrival times. We’re so confident in our punctuality that we’ll credit $100 towards any current or future service with Red Cap. Reach out for immediate help or schedule a duct sealing estimate online.
When it comes to duct sealing cost factors, one of the biggest is the size of your home. Larger and more complex buildings often come with larger and more complex ductwork. There are more places for cracks and leaks to appear, meaning the ducts require more man hours, more materials, and just generally more work to seal. Beyond that, some people have retrofitted a sprawling system of ducts into an older home, making them more complicated to seal.
Additionally, because bigger houses usually need more powerful heating and cooling units, they often have dual HVAC systems. This tends to double the cost because each system of ducts is separate and technicians must treat each one as its own project.
Beyond these problems, some larger homes have improperly sized ducts, leading to them experiencing greater wear and tear with more leaks to seal. However, all of these issues also indicate that your leaks are probably more severe, meaning you’ll ultimately save more money on your yearly energy bills after your ducts are properly sealed.
Another major factor that can increase duct sealing costs is how accessible your air ducts are, especially if you’re opting for manual duct sealing. After all, if technicians can stand in an attic or basement and access the ducts, they can work quickly and efficiently.
However, if your ducts sit in small crawl spaces or within walls, the work becomes far more difficult and extensive.
Most professionals use one of two methods for duct sealing: Aeroseal and manual. The prices for both can vary dramatically depending on the project and your home’s unique circumstances.
Manual sealing involves addressing each hole and crack directly. Typically, technicians will find each leak and then reinforce the hole with some form of heat-approved tape, like fiberglass mesh tape. Then they apply a gooey material called duct mastic to the tape to form a perfect seal. Mastic is ideal for these scenarios because of its durability and ease of use. Mastic is also used along duct seams and joints to ensure they are also airtight. In some cases, technicians might use silicone caulking or other tapes like butyl or foil tape to prevent leaks.
Overall, mastic and tape are often the less expensive option—if you’re addressing minor leaks in specific places. However, if you are attempting to manually seal an entire duct system, the time and effort needed causes the price to balloon.
Aeroseal is definitely the ideal method if you want to address leaks across the entirety of your HVAC system. While the upfront cost is higher, the end result can actually end up saving you money because there is no need to cut into walls or shell out money for custom-cut sheet metal.
The Aeroseal process begins with blocking all of your vents and your heating and cooling units. A technician then hooks the Aeroseal system to your ducts and uses a computer to scan for any areas where air leaks out. This informs them—and you—about any potential issues and what your costs will likely be. The system then sprays a non-toxic, water-based sealant into the ducts that block any holes and cracks without leaving any residue behind. Overall, the process usually takes between 60 minutes and a few hours, depending on the size of your home and the initial leakage amounts.
Finally, the contractor you hire is a major part of how much you pay. Some companies like to hide costs behind low initial fees, while others dramatically inflate the cost of the work. Additionally, low-quality contractors produce low-quality work, meaning you won’t save as much on your energy bills and you’ll probably still need proper duct sealing later on.
A good contractor will provide all costs upfront and inform you of anything that affects those prices. Plus, quality work stands the test of time, ensuring your expenses are investments into your home’s future.
Red Cap’s dedicated team is here for you. We never hide our prices or sneak in fees. We’ll be upfront with you so you know exactly what to expect: courteous, knowledgeable technicians and honest prices. It’s just one of the many reasons why we’ve earned such glowing 5-star reviews from happy Florida customers.
Call us if you need help now or schedule an estimate online. You can also visit our duct sealing page to learn more about our Aeroseal method.