We all know the importance of caring for your home. Fortunately, annual maintenance and looking out for certain warning signs will save you a lot of time and money in the long run — but not everyone considers the importance of ductwork.
Each home with an HVAC system contains ductwork for circulating air throughout connected rooms. Whether it be from the A/C unit or the furnace, ductwork will keep you and your family comfortable year round. However, this system isn’t always so straightforward and often requires special attention. This is why it’s important to consider home warranty coverage for ductwork.
Ductwork is viewed as separate from the HVAC system. Appliances like your A/C unit and furnace need unique care. It’s important to know that this same rule applies to your home’s ductwork.
Ductwork Problems: What Are The Signs?
Your home’s ductwork should last between 10 and 15 years. To prevent issues and catch problems before they become a burden, check and clean your ductwork every two to three years. If you own pets, you should clean your ductwork more often.
If you notice any of these signs, then it may be a good time to check your ductwork:
- Weak airflow or stuffy air in your home
- Unpleasant or moldy smells from your vents
- Increase in allergies for yourself or family members while indoors
- Uneven temperatures throughout your home
- Heating or A/C filters becoming dirty quicker than usual
- Strange noises from your vents
- Unexpectedly high energy bills
Any or all of these could be caused by problems with your ductwork, so make a point of investigating these signs when they crop up. With Select Home Warranty, you can submit a claim to have a technician check your ductwork to find the root of the issue.
How Much Does It Cost To Replace Ductwork?
The cost of replacing ductwork can range between $1,900 and $6,000. The national average is around $4,000 depending on the size of your home. This price may be higher if you have an older home, sometimes as much as $7,000.
Of course, there’s no need to saddle yourself with costly bills. Select Home Warranty offers coverage on ductwork in addition to other appliances and systems within your home. If you discover a problem with your ductwork, rest easy knowing that these high costs don’t have to be a reality.
Ductwork Coverage With A Home Warranty
Homeowners insurance does not cover ductwork cleaning, repairs, or replacements. Likewise, depending on the terms of your contract, some home warranty companies might not cover your ductwork either.
Fortunately, Select Home Warranty offers coverage on HVAC and ductwork systems.
Covering your home’s heating and cooling systems with a home warranty is also very common. You can even cover older appliances. The age of components in your HVAC systems doesn’t matter, and if you’re planning to cover HVAC with a home warranty, it makes a lot of sense to include ductwork as well. After all, these two systems work together to keep your home comfortable.
When you notice a problem with your ductwork, such as strange whistling noises due to cracks, popping sounds due to air pressure issues, or poor air circulation with unusual energy bills, it may be time to place a claim.
Select Home Warranty will help connect you to a qualified service technician to diagnose the problem and fix it. A ductwork home warranty with Select ensures that we will cover your repair or replacement costs.
Be aware that there are a few rare exceptions when it comes to ductwork coverage with a home warranty. For example, there may be issues if your ductwork was improperly sized when it was first installed. Ultimately, you want to be sure to understand the terms of service for any home warranty.
How To Check Your Ductwork
Clogged and dusty vents will cause serious problems over time. Not only will you have a higher energy bill from your HVAC working extra hard, your family may also develop illnesses due to trapped dust particles.
Mold and dust may be secretly wreaking havoc on your home. Don’t allow mold to spread, as this can be detrimental to your home and is not covered by a home warranty.
Be on the lookout for dust coming from your registers. If you notice any issues, check inside your ducts with a flashlight and look for any signs of dust buildup or mold and mildew. You could also find dead insects or animal droppings. Be sure to check the outside of your ductwork as well and block any holes or exposures with tape.
How To Keep Your Ductwork Clean
Along with maintaining your home’s air conditioner annually, you should also clean your ductwork every two or three years. A full ductwork cleaning may be beyond the skill of a normal homeowner. This kind of cleaning requires a lot of specialized equipment. Also, improperly cleaning your ductwork could make issues worse.
There may also be instances where holes may need to be cut into ductwork to access certain parts of the system. A qualified technician is trained to handle this kind of work.
Even though we don’t recommend cleaning your entire air duct system on your own, there are several things you can do to keep up with regular maintenance on your ductwork.
- Clean air supply registers with a paper towel
- Remove supply registers and use a vacuum with a hose to remove excess dust from easy to reach spots in your ductwork
- Replace air filters every 90 days
Home warranties do not cover routine cleaning, but if a problem is found in the course of cleaning, either by you or a professional, don’t hesitate to place a claim. Select Home Warranty can help to get your ductwork back into working order.
Take a look at our plans and receive a FREE quote today and compare your coverage options. Cover the air ducts in your home to shield your health and your wallet.
