During the summer, when your AC works overtime, you might see extra condensation forming on your AC ducts. This condensation, known as ductwork sweating in the industry, is to be expected during the summer. While it isn’t necessarily cause for concern, it may indicate that your AC system needs to be examined. Fortunately, you can do plenty of things to prevent ductwork sweating and quickly fix it!
What causes condensation on my AC ducts?
Typically, during the summertime, you use more of your AC to help keep the inside of your home much cooler than the outside temperature. The mix of the cold temperature inside the duct and the rising humidity levels outside can cause condensation on the surface and inside of the duct—the colder the air is inside the duct, the higher the chance of sweating. It’s like taking a cold bottle of water out of the refrigerator and taking it outside during the summer: you naturally get some condensation.
Of course, ductwork sweating can also be caused by other issues with your AC, including:
· Dirty filters
· Blocked ducts
· Leaking roofs
· High humidity air
· Bad insulation
· Leaking roofs
How can I stop my AC ducts from sweating?
There are several things you can do to stop your AC ducts from forming condensation:
· Reduce humidity. Lowering the humidity in your home can dramatically affect how much condensation is forming in your ducts. Consider connecting your AC with a smart AC controller to help control the temperature and humidity, or if you live in a more humid climate, consider adding dehumidifiers into your home. Not only will this reduce the overall humidity inside, but it will make you more comfortable, too!
· Unblock air ducts. Blocked ducts will lead to reduced airflow inside the air ducts, making the inside even colder and leading to ductwork sweating. Though this may sound easy, ducts are complex, and cleaning requires special equipment to ensure the cleaning is safely done. We highly recommend hiring an HVAC contractor such as J. H. Roberts Inc. to inspect and clean your ducts instead of doing it yourself.
· Clean and change air filters. One thing you can easily do yourself is clean and change your air filters. Like blocked air ducts, dirty and clogged air filters will restrict the airflow in your house, making your AC system work harder and causing more condensation in the ducts. Replace or clean your filters every 1-3 months or so, though and if you have allergies or pets who shed or allergies, you may need to replace them more often.
· Seal and insulate ducts. Call a professional from J. H. Roberts Inc. to seal any ductwork with gaps to ensure proper airflow and add insulation so there is no moisture accumulation. This shouldn’t be an issue with a flexible ductwork system, but metal ducts almost always need extra insulation. Pay close attention to metal ducts in your attic as well.
Trust the experts at Joseph H. Roberts Inc.<https://jhrobertsinc.com/> for all your HVAC needs! We offer a variety of services for heating, air conditioning, and air ducts. We are confident that you will be impressed by our friendly, experienced administrative staff, trained service technicians, and dependable installation technicians. mechanics.
Visit our website to learn more<https://jhrobertsinc.com/,> or call (609) 693-2457 to schedule a FREE in-home consultation!
Sources:
- https://cielowigle.com/blog/condensation-on-air-ducts/#:~:text=High%20humidity%20levels%2C%20poor%20insulation,insulation%20around%20your%20AC%20ducts.
- https://whitemechanical.com/stop-condensation-on-ac-ducts/
- https://www.ahs.com/home-matters/quick-tips/why-do-air-ducts-sweat/
- https://andersonair.com/condensation-in-ac-ducts-what-causes-it-how-to-fix-it/
