Is Your Attic Cooling the Neighborhood?

In the Antelope Valley, most homes have their ductwork running through the attic. In the summer, your attic can easily reach 140°F or higher.

If your ducts have holes, gaps, or loose connections, two terrible things happen:

1. You pump expensive, 55°F conditioned air directly into your hot attic (cooling the neighborhood).
2. Your system sucks in dusty, super-heated attic air and blows it into your bedrooms.

It is estimated that the average home loses 20-30% of its air through leaky ducts. That is 30 cents of every dollar you pay to Edison going right out the window.

Signs You Have Duct Leaks

• High Dust Levels: If your furniture gets dusty immediately after cleaning, you might be pulling attic insulation and dust into your system.
• Uneven Cooling: Is the master bedroom freezing but the kids' rooms are boiling? The conditioned air might not be making it to the far end of the house.
• Dark Streaks: Look at the ceiling around your vents. If you see dark lines or "ghosting," that is evidence of dirty air bypassing the filter and leaking out.

The Solution: Seal and Insulate

Old duct tape dries out and falls off in our dry heat. Modern duct sealing uses "mastic," a putty-like sealant that never dries out or cracks. Combine that with proper R-8 duct insulation, and you can reclaim that 30% lost energy.