Ductwork Issues: Signs Your Austin Home Needs Duct Repair or Replacement

Your air conditioner works hard to cool your home, but if the ducts that deliver that air are leaking or damaged, a lot of that effort goes to waste. The U.S. Department of Energy estimates that leaky or poorly insulated ductwork can waste 20 to 30 percent of the air your system produces. In Austin, where attic temperatures regularly exceed 140 degrees in summer, that loss is especially costly. Every cubic foot of cooled air that escapes into your attic is replaced by hot air being pulled in elsewhere, forcing your AC to run longer and your electric bill to climb higher.

At CG Service Pros, we see ductwork problems in Austin homes every week. Many of them are in older houses where the ducts have been sitting in hot attics for 20 or 30 years. The good news is that duct issues are often fixable. Here's how to spot the signs, understand what's going wrong, and decide whether repair or replacement makes sense for your home.

Signs Your Ductwork Needs Attention

Duct problems don't always announce themselves loudly. Sometimes they show up as gradual changes you might chalk up to "the house getting older" or "summer being hotter than usual." These are the most common signs we hear from Austin homeowners.

Uneven temperatures from room to room. If some rooms stay comfortable while others never seem to cool down, or if you notice hot and cold spots within the same room, duct issues are a likely culprit. Leaks, disconnected sections, or crushed flex duct can reduce or block airflow to certain areas. The rooms farthest from the air handler often suffer most when ducts are compromised.

Higher energy bills with no obvious cause. If your electric bill has crept up and you haven't changed your thermostat habits or added new appliances, duct leaks could be the reason. Your system has to run longer to compensate for lost air, and in Austin's heat that extra runtime adds up quickly. A 20 to 30 percent loss in delivered air can translate to a noticeable jump in your monthly costs.

Dusty rooms or more frequent dust buildup. When ducts leak in unconditioned spaces like attics or crawl spaces, they can pull in dust, insulation fibers, and even pest debris. That material gets distributed through your supply vents and settles on surfaces throughout your home. If you're dusting more often than usual or notice a musty smell when the AC kicks on, your ducts may be pulling in air from places it shouldn't.

Whistling, rattling, or banging sounds. Whistling often indicates air escaping through small gaps or tears. Rattling can mean loose sections or ducts that have come partially disconnected. Banging sometimes occurs when ducts expand and contract with temperature changes, especially if they're poorly supported. Any of these sounds warrant an inspection.

Visible damage in accessible areas. If you can safely access your attic or crawl space, look for obvious problems: ducts that have sagged or pulled apart at joints, flex duct that's crushed or torn, insulation that's missing or damaged, or sections that have come completely disconnected. You don't need to be an expert to spot major damage.

Ductwork that's 15 years old or older. Age alone doesn't mean your ducts are failing, but older duct systems are more likely to have developed leaks, deteriorated insulation, or connections that have loosened over time. If your home was built before 2000 and you've never had the ducts inspected or sealed, it's worth having a professional take a look.

Pro Tip: Before calling for duct repair, replace your air filter and make sure all supply and return vents are open and unobstructed. Restricted airflow can mimic some duct problems. If uneven cooling or high bills persist after that, schedule a duct inspection.

Types of Duct Damage We See in Austin Homes

Not all duct problems look the same. Here are the most common types of damage we find during inspections.

Leaks at joints and seams. Metal ducts are joined with screws, tape, or mastic. Over time, tape can dry out and peel, screws can loosen, and mastic can crack. Flex duct connects to metal with bands and clamps that can slip or corrode. Even small gaps at joints add up. A system with dozens of connections can lose a significant amount of air through cumulative small leaks.

Crushed or kinked flex duct. Flexible duct is common in Austin homes because it's easier to install in tight attic spaces. But it's also more vulnerable. If it's bent too sharply, compressed by insulation or stored items, or stepped on during attic access, it can kink or crush. That restricts airflow and can cause the inner liner to separate from the outer jacket, creating hidden leaks.

Disconnected sections. In severe cases, entire sections of duct can pull apart. This usually happens at transitions between metal and flex, or where flex duct meets the plenum or supply boots. A disconnected run means that part of your home gets little or no conditioned air. We've seen homes where whole wings were effectively cut off from the system because a single connection failed.

Poor or missing insulation in the attic. In Austin, ducts in unconditioned attics need adequate insulation. Without it, cooled air loses heat to the surrounding 140-degree environment before it reaches your living spaces. Even leak-free ducts can waste energy if they're not properly insulated. R-6 or higher is typically recommended for ducts in unconditioned spaces in our climate.

Why Duct Losses Hit Austin Homes Especially Hard

Austin's climate amplifies the cost of duct problems in two ways.

First, our attic temperatures are extreme. On a typical summer day, attic air can reach 140 degrees or higher. When cooled air leaks out of a duct into that environment, it's gone. The pressure drop can also pull hot attic air into the duct system through other leaks, so you're not just losing cool air, you're actively pulling heat into the distribution system. The temperature difference between your supply air (around 55 degrees) and your attic (140-plus degrees) is so large that every leak matters more than it would in a milder climate.

Second, Austin has a lot of older housing stock. Many homes in established neighborhoods were built in the 1980s and 1990s, when duct standards and installation practices were less rigorous than they are today. Ducts that have been baking in hot attics for 25 or 30 years are more likely to have deteriorated tape, cracked mastic, and insulation that's compressed or missing. If you live in an older Austin home and have never had your ducts evaluated, you're a good candidate for an inspection.

Duct Repair vs. Replacement: What Makes Sense?

Not every duct problem requires a full replacement. Here's how we typically approach the decision.

Repair and sealing. If the duct layout is sound and the main issues are leaks at joints, small tears, or disconnected sections, repair and sealing can restore performance. We use mastic sealant and metal-backed tape (not standard duct tape, which fails quickly) to close gaps. Reconnecting disconnected sections and supporting sagging ducts are straightforward fixes. Duct sealing can often reduce leakage by 50 percent or more, which translates directly to lower bills and better comfort.

Insulation upgrades. If your ducts are in the attic and lack adequate insulation, adding or replacing insulation can make a big difference. We typically recommend R-6 minimum for supply ducts in unconditioned spaces. In some cases, wrapping existing ducts or replacing poorly insulated flex with better-insulated material is more cost-effective than full replacement.

Replacement. Full duct replacement makes sense when the system is severely damaged, the layout is poorly designed (e.g., long runs with too many turns, undersized ducts), or the duct material itself is failing (e.g., fiberboard ducts that have absorbed moisture and are deteriorating). Replacement is a larger investment but can improve airflow, efficiency, and comfort for the life of your HVAC system. We often recommend replacement when a homeowner is already replacing their AC or furnace, since the ducts are accessible and the system can be designed as a cohesive whole.

What Duct Repair and Sealing Typically Cost

Costs vary based on the size of your home, the extent of the problems, and whether you need sealing only or more extensive repairs. Here are typical ranges for Austin-area homes:

An inspection and leakage test will tell you how much air you're losing and where the main problems are. From there, you can decide whether sealing, targeted repairs, or replacement offers the best return. Many homeowners see a 10 to 30 percent reduction in cooling costs after duct sealing, which can pay back the investment in a few years, especially in a climate like Austin's.

How Duct Sealing and Insulation Improve Efficiency

When we seal ducts and improve insulation, two things happen.

First, more of the air your system produces reaches your living spaces. Less air escapes into the attic, so your AC doesn't have to run as long to maintain your set temperature. That means lower electric bills and less wear on the equipment.

Second, the air that does reach your vents stays cooler. Insulated ducts in hot attics lose less heat to the surrounding air. The temperature of the air at the register can be several degrees higher in uninsulated ducts compared to properly insulated ones. Those few degrees matter when you're trying to keep your home comfortable in 100-degree weather.

Combined, sealing and insulation can make your existing AC perform like a more efficient system without replacing the equipment. For homeowners who aren't ready for a full system upgrade, duct work is often the highest-impact improvement available.

Get Your Ducts Inspected

If you're seeing uneven cooling, higher bills, or any of the other signs we've discussed, a duct inspection is a sensible next step. At CG Service Pros, we serve homeowners throughout Austin, Round Rock, Cedar Park, Georgetown, and the surrounding Central Texas area. We'll assess your ductwork, explain what we find, and give you clear options for repair or replacement with no pressure.

Duct issues often go hand in hand with other HVAC needs. If you're due for maintenance, we can include a duct check as part of your tune-up. If you're dealing with AC repair or indoor air quality concerns, duct problems may be contributing. We'll help you prioritize and get your home comfortable again.

Schedule a Duct Inspection

Have questions about your ductwork? Call us at (512) 766-5079 or visit our contact page to schedule service.