We’re sure your home’s duct system isn’t on your mind too often; your duct system plays a crucial role in maintaining the air quality of your home. Although unseen, most of the issues caused by an improperly functioning duct system can increase the risk of health problems and become heavy on your pockets in the long run.

Here are a few effects a faulty duct system can have on your home.

Leaky Air Ducts Let In Toxins
Leaky air ducts pull in airborne toxins and pollutants, such as fumes and debris, spreading them around your home. For instance, if a disconnected crawlspace duct causes your leaky air duct, the air sucked in your home will be dusty and dirty crawl space air.

Furthermore, air duct leaks in damp areas , such as basements, can cause the spread of toxic mold spores throughout your home, causing lung problems for the residents. Regardless of how good your air filtration system may be, at a certain point, the bad stuff will overwhelm it and enter your home through the faulty air ducts.

Air Duct Leaks Cause Negative Pressure
A duct system pulls air through the heating or air conditioning system of a home. The same amount of air that goes into the system is supposed to go out into the house. However, if there’s a leak in the supply side of this system, the pulled-in and conditioned air won’t end up where it’s supposed to be.

Your home will compensate for this lost air by pulling in air from somewhere outside the duct filtration system, resulting in a negative pressure buildup. A leaky duct system usually draws in unclean and unfiltered air from the basement, garage, or crawlspace, which can disrupt the air quality of your home even further.

Leaky Air Ducts Result in Poor Humidity Control
A leaky or damaged ductwork results in poor humidity control. The presence of excess water in your home can have problematic repercussions, as mold thrives in damp conditions. Although there are chances that your home has a few mold spores, humidity control helps counter the conditions that encourage mold growth.

Duct Leaks Cost You Money
Unclean or leaky air ducts increase the amount of cold or hot air that needs to be pumped around your house. Since your duct system has to work harder than usual, it means that you have to pay more. For instance, your duct system will use more energy to pump air through due to trapped debris. Also, a leaky duct means that your system will have to produce more air to get it to the places it needs to be. Either way, you can expect to receive high energy bills.

Wrapping Up
The impact a faulty duct system has on your home and wallet is most certainly undeniable. Even the slightest leak in your air ducts can let in toxins and rack up your energy bill before you even know it. There’s no certain way to know that your air ducts aren’t functioning correctly.

You may not be able to spot any mold or smell anything different, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t any problems. Luckily, the fix is pretty simple – regular professional inspection can go a long way in ensuring that your indoor air quality is where it should be, helping save your health and money.