Inspecting air vents is an essential part of making sure your home is comfortable and energy-efficient. To check air vents, you need to access the ducts in areas such as attics, basements, and mezzanines. Carefully examine each section of the duct for any issues such as breaks, disconnections, or gaps. If you find any problems, mark them with a grease pencil.
If you have advanced tools like an RC duct tracker, you can simply walk through the system and track the location as you go. If you don't have any sophisticated tools, you can use logic and basic tools. Remove the ventilation holes and observe the general direction of the tube behind them. Use a measuring tape inside the pipe behind the vent to measure the length of the straight parts you can reach. Use painter's tape to draw the pipes in walls and ceilings as you do the mapping. Start from the HVAC unit and check for visible ducting in the attic and basement.
Notice where there are gaps in the tape. What would be the most logical connection paths? Keep in mind that low ceilings were probably installed to cover the ducts. Extra-wide walls or narrow spots were also built in rooms to cover ducts, cables, or pipes. If you still have unknown route sections, try using magnets or studs to reduce them. In the worst case, you can drill a small hole to visually check the route.
If you do, make sure it's as small as possible and start near the last known location along the most likely route to minimize the number of holes you have to repair. Before drilling holes, consider buying an inspection camera that can help identify the route without having to drill holes or that, at least, allows you to use very small holes. Learn how to seal air ducts yourself to improve efficiency and reduce dirt and dust distribution throughout your home. Regular maintenance of air ducts can help ensure that they work effectively and prevent duct leaks in the future. Service Champions offers industry-leading air duct cleaning, sealing and insulation to keep your home clean and energy efficient.