Inside the walls of your home, you will find a network of ducts that transports air from your HVAC system to the rooms everywhere. Whether they transport warm or cold air, a leak will greatly affect the efficiency of the system.
A leaking duct can deposit a large amount of the air coming from the HVAC unit into a crawlspace or attic and then pick up the air located in that space and send it to your rooms. This air will affect the efficiency of the system, and it could also carry with it smells and dust from those areas.
So, what causes leaky ducts? It could be because of poor installation, external damage, age, or possibly something else. Leaks are most likely to develop where the pressure is higher, so close to the unit itself. Using an infrared camera will make it easier to find a leak, but it can also be found using a smoke pen or a similar tool.
