When was the last time you gave any thought to the air ducts in your home's heating, ventilation and air conditioning system? Many homeowners take ducts for granted, except perhaps when they have them cleaned.

You might also pay attention to the ducts when you are eagerly waiting for the heat or air conditioning to make the home more comfortable and you wonder if the air is actually flowing.

However, when you think about ducts, it's a good idea to consider how they affect your budget. By insulating the ducts, you can reduce the amount of wasted energy used in heating and cooling the air.

Insulating Your Ducts Can Help Lower Utility Bills

One of the clearest signs that your ducts are not performing very well is when you see that your utility bills are rising higher than you would expect during the summer and winter.

Approximately 20 to 30 percent of the air coursing through ducts is typically lost because of holes, leaks and ducts that are not properly connected, according to the U.S. Government's Environmental Protection Agency. Anything you can do to improve the performance of your ductwork, therefore, will result in less wasted energy as well as lower utility bills.

Insulating the ducts will not only help your budget, it will reduce your carbon footprint because you are wasting less energy. This is why people who are interested in "going green" contact HVAC professionals to add insulation to their ducts.

In fact, the money you spend on getting your ducts insulated will wind up saving you money in the long run. This is why so many homeowners call for service to ensure that their ductwork is properly insulated.

Rely on Trusted Professionals

Although it might be tempting to try and save some money by insulating the ducts in your home by yourself, this is actually a job that is best left to professionals.

For one, climbing into an attic and getting to the ducts that are located in ceilings, basements, crawlspaces and other out-of-the-way areas in your home takes a lot of physical effort and can be a dirty process. It's also important to avoid dislodging ductwork or otherwise causing holes or tears in the process.

Professionals also know that it's a good idea to insulate your basement walls at the same time you insulate the ductwork in the basement, since insulated ducts will give off less waste heat that formerly was helping to keep pipes from bursting due to excessive cold during the winter.

For better peace of mind, you can hire trusted HVAC professionals to take care of the job and do it right the first time, on time and for price that makes sense for your budget.

Keep Your Family Safe with a Carbon Monoxide Detector

As you consider upgrading your HVAC system with insulated ducts, it's a good time to also take steps to protect the health of your family against poisoning by carbon monoxide.

It's a trivial matter to install carbon monoxide detectors in the home. While many states require new homes to be built with carbon monoxide detectors, older homes may not have this technology.

At David Gray Heating & Air, our knowledgeable professionals have extensive experience installing and inspecting ductwork for our customers. We are also experts when it comes to insulating ducts to help our customers use energy more efficiently and lower their monthly utility bills. For more information on how we can improve the performance of your HVAC system or to arrange for a service call to insulate your ducts, please contact David Gray Heating & Air today.