How to Repair a Leaking Furnace Elbow
Efficient central air and heat systems are a must in order to control your utility bills. General maintenance on these systems is required to make sure they are working properly. Air leaks are a common problem, especially at connection points, such as elbow fittings. Check your furnace fittings once every few months to see if you have any fittings that are no longer sealed properly. With just a few simple tools and about an hour or so, most furnace elbow air leaks can be repaired. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Metal duct tape
- Plastic putty knife
- Sheet metal screws
- Cordless drill
- Driver bit (for sheetmetal screws)
- Bar seal (duct joint sealant)
Please enter your 10 digit phone number only.
A link to this article has been sent to the phone number provided.
Instructions
-
-
1
Inspect the elbow to see if the duct joint is loose. Specialized metal tape is used to seal most furnace duct fittings. It has a sticky back and is designed for situations with heat and dry air. Tear off any loose tape that is already there. Tear off a new piece of metal tape and place it on the elbow fitting. Flatten it down with your hand or a flat, plastic putty knife.
-
2
Install the new tape all the way around the fitting. It's best just to reseal the entire duct fitting. This way you won't have possible future leaks.
-
-
3
Inspect the duct elbow to ensure it is still screwed together properly. Duct work, including fittings, is held together with sheet metal screws. If these screws break, then an air leak can occur. Insert new sheet metal screws, using the cordless drill and driver bit.
-
4
Seal any joints held together by sheet metal screws with bar seal. This is a putty-like substance specially designed for ducting work. Break off a chunk of the bar seal and form it into a long, thick ribbon. Place it on the joint and work it all the way around, by pressing it in place. Cover the entire seam and all sheet metal screws.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
Remove any old duct tape that is used for sealing joints. Duct tape dries out and can easily come loose. Using the wrong tape on seams is the most common reason that duct fittings leak. Replace any old duct tape with the specialized metal tape.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Thinkstock/Comstock/Getty Images
