Ductwork & Air Sealing
San Antonio, TX

Ductwork Problems Are Silent Energy Thieves

Most San Antonio homeowners never think about their ductwork — until they see their CPS Energy bill. Leaky ducts dump conditioned air into your attic, walls, and crawlspace instead of into your living rooms. Studies show the average Texas home loses 25–30% of cooling capacity to duct leaks.

Good Times HVAC performs a duct pressure test (duct blaster test) to quantify your leakage before we touch anything. You'll know exactly how much you're losing and exactly what it costs to fix it.

Why Ductwork Matters More in San Antonio Than Almost Anywhere

The attic ductwork problem in San Antonio is particularly severe — and here's why it hits harder in South Texas than in most of the country:

• Attic temperatures in Texas summer reach 140–160°F. Most San Antonio homes run their ductwork through unconditioned attic spaces. When your AC pushes 55°F air through a leaky duct sitting in a 150°F attic, even a small leak dumps that cool air directly into a superheated space. It's essentially pouring refrigerant-cooled air into an oven.
• The leakage multiplier effect. In a 150°F attic, even 15% duct leakage feels like 30%+ efficiency loss because the leaked air doesn't just disappear — it creates a negative pressure in the duct system that pulls in superheated attic air through any available gap.
• San Antonio's 9-month cooling season. A 25% duct leakage problem that costs $100/month in CPS Energy bills costs $900/year. Nationally, that might be $500–600 per year. In San Antonio, it's significantly more due to the extended operating season.
• Efficiency improvement numbers that matter. The EPA estimates properly sealed ductwork can reduce HVAC energy consumption by 20–30% in homes with significant leakage. In San Antonio dollars — fixing a heavily leaking duct system on a 2,000 sq ft home can save $80–$150/month on CPS Energy bills.

Duct Sealing vs. Duct Replacement — How to Decide

Not every leaky duct system needs to be replaced. Here's how we help you make the right call:

• Seal if: Ductwork is structurally intact, leaks are at joints and connections, ducts are properly sized, and insulation is in good condition. Mastic sealant + metal tape addresses 80–90% of residential duct leakage scenarios. Cost is a fraction of replacement.
• Replace if: Flex duct is severely deteriorated, kinked, or collapsed; undersized ducts restrict airflow regardless of sealing; significant sections are disconnected or physically damaged; attic duct insulation is degraded to the point of replacement cost approaching replacement economics.
• Aeroseal for inaccessible ducts: Sheet metal ductwork embedded in walls or floor systems can't be accessed for manual sealing. Aeroseal sprays sealant particles from the inside — they build up at leak points and seal them without tearing into walls. Expensive but effective for the right application.

Ductwork Services We Provide

• Duct blaster pressure testing — quantify leakage before any work
• Mastic sealant and metal tape air sealing at all joints and connections
• Aeroseal duct sealing for inaccessible ductwork
• Flex duct replacement — torn, kinked, or deteriorated sections
• Sheet metal duct fabrication and installation
• Duct insulation upgrade — prevent heat gain in hot Texas attics (R-8 minimum for San Antonio)
• Supply and return grille balancing — eliminate hot and cold rooms
• Full duct system replacement for homes with undersized or failed ductwork

Signs You Have Duct Leaks

• Rooms that won't cool or heat properly despite a working AC
• CPS Energy bills that are higher than comparable homes on your street
• Dusty rooms or allergy symptoms that worsen at home — duct leaks pull attic dust and insulation fibers into living spaces
• System runs constantly without reaching setpoint on hot days
• Visible gaps, tears, or disconnected flex duct in the attic
• Excessive humidity indoors — duct leaks can draw humid attic air into the conditioned space