Air Duct Replacement in Houston

Most newer houses in the Houston area have duct installation done during construction, but if you have an older home that doesn't include ductwork, you may be wondering if it would be a good option to simply have it installed. Unfortunately, it's not all that simple. It's not just a matter of cutting open walls and ceilings to install the ducts—older houses that were built before central heating and cooling systems were common don't have space available inside the walls for ductwork to fit, so installing it would essentially involve removing all interior walls and rebuilding them, which just isn't worth it in the long run. The better solution for air conditioning in a house that doesn't have ductwork is a ductless mini-split system that includes an outdoor compressor unit that is connected to small evaporator units in each major room of the house to provide the same cooling power without the need for ductwork.

The expected service life of ductwork can vary quite a bit based on factors such as how much maintenance and cleaning it receives, the type of material, and whether it was correctly installed in the first place. If it's made with high-quality materials and diligently maintained, it's possible it could last as long as 20 or 25 years, but even in that case, you'll likely see a loss in performance starting at around 15 years. If the installation was faulty or lesser quality materials were used, your ductwork could start to fail before it hits the 15-year mark.

There really is a pretty wide time span to consider, but if you're interested in going as long as possible without the need for air duct replacement, Houston HVAC professionals at Aire Serv have the answer—regular air duct cleaning appointments and HVAC system tune-ups with our experienced team will help to significantly extend the serviceable years of your ductwork. With an Advantage Plan membership, you pay just $9.99 per month for membership benefits that include two HVAC maintenance and tune-up appointments per year, priority scheduling, HVAC repair discounts, and more.

Whether you see a major difference in energy savings after Houston duct replacement really depends on the current condition of your ductwork. If you have deteriorated, leaky ducts that are causing significant energy loss, you will definitely notice a decrease in your energy bills after air duct replacement. Houston homeowners often don't realize the impact that damaged ductwork can have on the energy efficiency of their home—after all, ducts don't use energy themselves; they're just tubes that carry heated or cooled air around the building.

The trouble starts when ducts have slowly deteriorated over time or have suffered more sudden damage from a pest infestation, leaking plumbing pipe, or something else and develop holes or cracks. Those weak points allow some of the air to escape inside your walls instead of getting all the way to the vents in each room or part of the house. Because the habitable parts of the house aren't getting up (or down) to the temperature that is set on your thermostat, the thermostat sends signals to your HVAC system to keep operating for longer periods of time in compensation. That uses up a lot more energy than would be necessary if the ducts were in good condition, costing you additional energy charges on your utility bills for basically heating or cooling the inside of your walls.

When they need air duct replacement, Houston property owners sometimes worry that they'll need new walls and ceilings as well after their home is essentially destroyed to put in the new ducts. The good news is that's typically not necessary. Unless you have a flat roof, which is much more difficult to work with, we'll likely be able to install your new AC duct replacement into the space left behind by the old ducts without needing to tear down any walls or ceilings.

If you live in River Oaks or another part of the Houston area, rely on the experienced HVAC team at Aire Serv of Central & West Houston for expert workmanship combined with customer service that goes above and beyond.

Get in touch with our friendly customer care representatives to find out more about our dependable HVAC services or to schedule a service appointment at a time that's convenient for you.