HVAC Ductwork Replacement in Rancho Cordova & Sacramento

Give us a call today at 916-877-1577 to schedule your service, repair, or estimate.

Do you need HVAC ductwork replacement work done? Are your old ducts causing problems with airflow in your home? Is it time to upgrade to central air conditioning?

Fox Family Heating & Air Conditioning has been serving Rancho Cordova, Sacramento, and Northern California since 2015. We’ve helped thousands of homeowners get the most out of their heating and cooling systems by providing them with high-quality ductwork replacement services with attention to detail. Count on us for professional installation and outstanding customer service.

Our team is dedicated to helping our customers save money on energy costs while improving comfort levels in their homes. We offer a wide variety of services, including AC and furnace repair, ductwork replacement, new system installations, and more! And because we are family-owned and operated, we take pride in providing personalized attention every step of the way so that you feel confident knowing that someone is looking out for you! You can trust that we will always provide you with honest advice about what works best for your needs.

Call us today at 1-916-877-1577, or click the link above to schedule an appointment now for your HVAC ductwork replacement needs in Rancho Cordova, Sacramento, and Northern California.

Common Signs You Need Duct Replacement

Well, if you are thinking about “Do I need a ductwork replacement?” Then here is your answer to identify if you actually need it or not.

Ductwork problems are easy to miss because they’re mostly out of sight, but they show up fast in your comfort, air quality, and energy bills. If your home in Sacramento or Rancho Cordova just isn’t heating or cooling like it used to, your ducts could be the reason.

Here are some of the most common signs it’s time to consider ductwork replacement:

• Big temperature differences between rooms, like one bedroom staying warm while the rest of the house feels cold
• Noticeably weaker airflow coming from your vents, even when the system is running
• Heavy dust buildup on vents and around your home no matter how often you clean
• Booming, whistling, popping, or rattling sounds from the ductwork when your HVAC system kicks on
• A moldy or mildewy smell blowing out of the vents
• Visible duct damage, including holes, cracks, dents, crushed sections, or loose connections
• A sudden jump in your utility bill without a clear reason
• Signs of pests in or around ductwork, including scratching sounds, droppings, or damaged insulation 

If you’ve noticed any of these issues, Fox Family Heating & Air Conditioning can take a look and help you figure out the best next step, whether that’s targeted repairs or full duct replacement. Call 916-877-1577 or schedule service online to get your airflow and comfort back on track.

Should I Replace My Ducts Every Time I Buy a New HVAC System?

One of the details we ask people when we come out for a ductwork replacement is how the air distribution around their house is. We like to ask if there are any hot or cold spots in the house. Are there any bedrooms, offices, or living areas where they would like to have more air? About 80% of the people we ask say they’re just fine with their airflow. All the rooms seem to be balanced just fine. We basically tend to know your house and your preferences before we plan our ductwork replacement process in order to ensure that we are delivering the best quality services to you.

Some people will say yes, they do have a problem with the room and would like to have better comfort there. In an effort to rack up the price of your new HVAC system, salespeople looking out for their commission checks will recommend you spend the extra $5,000 to $10,000 to change your ductwork to solve the problem. Is that really necessary? Not every time. Here’s why.

Ducts can be repaired individually. You don’t have to replace every duct in your house to get better air in one or two rooms. Those rooms can have more airflow delivered to them by increasing the size of the duct leading to the room. Another way to get more air to a room is to relocate the duct on the supply plenum to a more advantageous spot for getting air there. Typically, towards the end of the plenum.

You can fine-tune this process by cutting in manual dampers that can be adjusted to decrease the amount of air going to one side of the house so that it can be diverted elsewhere in your home. I still recommend a professional do this because messing around with the ducts like this is the same as shutting down registers in your home to get more air to another side of the house. This airflow disruption can cause high static pressure, affecting your air conditioning system’s more expensive mechanical parts.

The aerodynamics of the delivery system are essential to the system’s longevity, so unless you know how to check static pressure in the ductwork, repairs like this should probably be left to the pros.

Your supply air ducts connect to your forced air unit in the closet, garage, attic, or package unit on the roof. The air from that unit gets sent into a big box called a supply plenum. Attached to that supply plenum are several ducts that lead to each room of your house. Here’s how to tell if those ducts are in good shape or not:

• The ducts are strapped properly or lying on the floor of the attic.
• Those ducts are straight, not bent or kinked, restricting airflow.
• The duct’s vapor lining on the outside of the duct is not torn or melted.
• Good to decent insulation, which maintains the temperature of the air as it heads towards the room that the duct leads to.​

There’s not a lot more you can ask from your ducts. If they’re adequately strapped, meaning each duct is straight or has long sweeping bends (no kinks) that lead to where they need to go, and they have metal or vinyl straps that secure them in place, that’s a good sign. Another thing that you’d like to see for your ductwork is that the vapor lining, which is yellow, pink, grey, black, or silver, is in good shape.

Ductwork has an R-value to insulate your ducts to a set standard. 30 to 50 years ago, those standards were not as high as they are today. So, ductwork has evolved in performance through the following stages:

• The yellow and pink material is insulation. It may or may not have a clear wrapping to prevent vapor from forming on the duct. The ductwork may be original to the house if you have this setup, as it’s not too common to install them this way anymore. You can expect this ductwork to be 30 to 50 years old. It has an R-Value of two (R-2). Not the best in the world, but I’ve seen people keep it because it works just fine, and I support that decision.
• Grey ductwork typically has an R-Value of four (R-4). Once again, not the freshest ductwork we see out in the field, but if the ducts still meet those guidelines from above, people have chosen to keep that ductwork a little longer.
• Black and silver ducts can have an R-Value of either R-6 or R-8. R-6 has been around for the last 25 years or so. R-8 is the newest standard and has the thickest layer of insulation surrounding the inner lining.

We tell people your HVAC ductwork’s life averages about 30 years. Some people replace them every time they get a new system, but most of the people we sell equipment to don’t. That’s because it’s impractical to do so. Yes, the higher R-value of the ductwork, the better performance you’ll have. The ductwork will hold the hot or cold air it’s delivering inside it better. That translates to cooler or warmer air in your rooms, depending on which season it is. Your decision is whether you want to spend the extra money to change your ductwork every time you change your HVAC system. Good luck! Hopefully, we have armed you with useful knowledge for your next project.

If you are looking to get your ducts replaced in Rancho Cordova, Sacramento, or anywhere in Northern California, give us a call at Fox Family Heating & Air Conditioning.

Give us a call today at 916-877-1577 to schedule your service or repairs.