Reverse cycle air conditioners offer a two-in-one solution for homeowners who want to keep their homes cooler in summer and warmer in winter. During hot months, the AC equipment replaces the hot air within a house with cooled air. And, when the chilly weather of the winter season sets in, the same equipment will provide heating service, drawing the cold indoor air out and replacing it with heated air. Reverse cycle AC units come as ducted systems or split systems. Each type of reverse cycle system has unique benefits and drawbacks.
One of the common problems associated with ducted reverse cycle systems is leaky ductwork. The presence of leaks in the ductwork is a major cause of residential air conditioning system inefficiency. The good news is that homeowners may be able to tell when their ducted reverse cycle system is leaky by paying close attention to how their ducted reverse cycle systems operates.
If you've installed a ducted reverse cycle system in your home, below are some obvious signs that your ductwork may be leaking precious conditioned air.
When it takes longer to attain the desired indoor temperatures.
If you've noticed that your AC equipment takes longer than usual to cool or warm a room (or the house), it is most likely that air flow rate has been reduced. This could be because a significant volume of conditioned air destined for the air supply vents is being lost via leaks in the ductwork. Thus, if you can't achieve the same indoor temperatures with the same programmable thermostat settings, conditioned air may be escaping from your ductwork.
When your monthly electricity bills hit the roof.
Has your monthly electricity bills been skyrocketing lately? If true, then your ducted AC system may be losing precious conditioned air, thereby pushing your equipment to run much harder than required to achieve the desired indoor temperatures. Therefore, if you think there's no apparent reason why your air conditioning costs should go up, a good place to start probing would be at the ductwork.
When indoor air quality seems deteriorated.
If the air inside your home feels stuffy whenever the AC unit is turned on, it is likely that your equipment is circulating dirty air. The airborne pollutants could have found their way into the AC system via the leaks in ductwork running in the basement, crawl space, attic and other areas of the home that do not often get adequate cleaning attention. Therefore, you should not take it lightly when you notice your family coughing, sneezing or blowing their noses when they are inside the house.
