Like attics, crawl spaces are an essential part of homes. There even goes a saying, ‘what happens in crawl spaces doesn’t stay in crawl spaces. MMI Air Duct Repair and Replacement in Marietta services know that crawl spaces need inspection and maintenance because if there is a leak in ducts, it will affect the whole house.
During summer or in long rainy months, rodents and insects are known to nest in crawl spaces. They can tear insulations by getting in between subfloors. It is their way of marking their territory, but this is damaging to your ductwork. Over time, your duct may get holes from where their odor can seep into your home.
Moreover, if you smell that odor or feel signs of decomposition, it means there is an infection and needs cleaning. Furthermore, some debris may be left to clean if there is construction in or near the crawl space. It could become a good hiding place for critters, attract mildew and obstruct ventilation.
Signs for inspection and cleaning by Pro HVAC Cleaning Marietta service
If you feel or notice these issues in your duct or your home, you may need professional help.
- Unpleasant odor in your home or near the crawl space.
- Excess dust that feels smelly.
- Noises in the crawl space like scratching and squeaking.
- Loss of heating or cooling effect around your home.
- Stains appear on your ceilings since it’s not a horror movie, so this is most likely the case.
Timely Crawl Space Inspection
A thorough inspection is the best way to determine the issue with the crawl space or duct system. You can hire services like Air Duct Repair and Replacement Marietta for inspection and early detection of any problems. However, you may need to change or replace ducts if they are damaged. For cleaning, the professional team will inspect first, then carefully clean the area and remove any debris left to dispose of everything correctly.
Air duct replacement in A Crawl Space
As mentioned above, the crawl space could attract rodents and critters. They can, over time, damage ductwork during their nesting. Other than that, other factors may require replacing or adding new ducts. These are as follows:
Reasons for duct replacement and addition:
During remodeling, most homeowners install new ducts and replace old ones. It ensures optimal working and good airflow through air ducts around your home.
Some damage can occur due to water damage, which usually happens if, due to some reason, water sits in one place for a long time. For this, it’s better just to replace the damaged duct than repair the old one.
Today, you could come across houses that still have asbestos installed. Since they pose a health hazard, homeowners remove them during home improvements.
Home improvements are in through DIYs these days. It’s no surprise to upgrade ducts and ventilation as well. These upgrades save homeowners some cash on monthly utility bills, too. It keeps the house warm in winters and more relaxed in summer.
Replacing that old ductwork is not a difficult task for any homeowner, especially for a DIYer. It just requires a certain amount of skills OR you can call MMI Expert for HVAC Cleaning in Marietta.
Since it is a replacement, you won’t need to add any extra work or reduce the flow out of the furnace and air condition. You will just be replacing the trunk line and vent lines (if needed). However, taking their measurements and hanging ducts under the house is the only hard work that needs to be done.
Easy Steps to Replace Air Ducts in a Crawl Space
Crawl spaces should have enough space to fit a person, or you will have to dig old vents for replacing, which is a lot of hard work. Anyhow, if you are ready, here are some steps to replace ductwork in the crawl space:
Step 1 – Removing and Cleaning the Crawl Space
Start by carefully removing all old ductwork, cautiously dispose of it according to your local zoning laws. Then make sure to measure all the lengths that you need to make or work on. It will save you multiple trips in and out of crawl space if you know all the required sizes beforehand. You could use your old duct for measurements. Call an Air Duct Repair and Replacement Marietta service if you need help with repairs and cleaning afterward.
Step 2 – Hanging the Trunk Line
The trunkline is the mainline that comes directly from the furnace or air conditioner. Use straps to hang the trunk line along the floor or ceiling joists in a crawl space. You may need a Phillips screwdriver for this task. Tighten screws carefully into studs to secure them. It will prevent any rattling during normal usage of your HVAC system.
Step 3 – Extra Holes for Vent Lines
Next, cut the holes in the trunk line, where you’ll be adding new vent lines that will run into your rooms around the house. You can also use floor mounts here to manage vent lines for extra support.
Step 4 – Starting at One End
Start by clamping at the farthest vent line into place, and move backward from fastening the ductwork with clamps. This step ensures no air escapes from the vent after installation, making the system more energy efficient. Installing a vent to floor mount has the same process. Seal any spaces left with good duct tape. Keep this process going until you install all the vents.
Step 5 – Support Where Needed
Some parts of ductwork may need some support. Its main reason could be there are no places for straps. Floorboards are the most common choice for help. You can get dryer vent cleaning service in Norcross to improve its performance. You could screw supports into the floor without much hassle. Just make sure these supports should be round about every 4 feet apart.
After completing the installation or replacement of ductwork in the crawl space, you should carefully seal that space to prevent rodents and critters from entering there. Nevertheless, make sure you don’t close the entrance off permanently, as you will probably need to visit there for inspections.