How do I know if my ducts are leaking?

Dust from the vents when the system starts, rooms that never get comfortable, weak airflow at far vents, a hot-attic smell from the supplies, a humid house with the AC on, or a bill that climbed. In the attic you can often see it: crushed flex, boots pulled off, tape hanging from joints.

Should I get my ducts cleaned?

Usually not first. The dust in your ducts got there through leaks, and cleaning without sealing is temporary. Seal the leaks and upgrade to a media filter and the dust stops. We look at the ducts and tell you which you need.

How much does duct sealing cost?

Priced for the house and given in writing before we start; the number of runs and connections, attic access and how much is repair versus sealing are what move it. The $65 trip charge is applied to the work.

Will sealing my ducts lower my electric bill?

Usually, yes. A typical older system leaks 20 to 30 percent of its air into the attic, and the air conditioner runs longer to make up for it. Sealed ducts also reduce the dust and humidity that leaks bring in.

What do you seal them with?

Mastic, a thick sealant brushed onto every joint, boot and plenum seam, with proper fasteners. Not duct tape, which fails in a Texas attic within a few years.

Can you fix a room that is always hot?

Often. A hot room is usually a crushed, kinked or disconnected run, or one that was never sized right. We check the run to that room and fix or resize it.

Do you replace ductwork?

Yes, when the duct is old, undersized, mold-lined or routed so badly that sealing would not fix the comfort problem. We size and lay out new runs for the house and price it in writing.

Air Duct Sealing & Repair in Lago Vista, TX | Real Texas Plumbing

Licensed & Insured · TDLR AC Contractor TACLA22663C · Texas Responsible Master Plumber RMP44420 · 4.9 stars on Google · Family-owned since 2018 · Mon to Fri 7:30 AM to 8 PM, Sat 8 AM to noon

Real Texas Plumbing - Heating and Air repairs and seals ductwork for homes in Lago Vista, Jonestown, Point Venture, The Hollows and Lakeway. In this area the ducts run through an attic that hits 140 degrees in August, and a typical older system leaks 20 to 30 percent of the air it moves into that attic, or pulls attic air back in. That is the cause behind a lot of dust, humidity, hot rooms and high bills that people try to fix with a bigger air conditioner. We fix the ducts instead. Written price before any work starts; the $65 trip charge goes toward it.

Signs your ducts are leaking

A puff of dust from the vents when the system starts, or dust on everything no matter how often you clean
One or two rooms that never cool or heat like the rest
Weak airflow at the far vents
A musty, hot-attic smell from the supply vents
The house runs humid even with the AC on (leaky returns pull in attic moisture)
A summer electric bill that climbed with no change in use
Insulation fibers or black streaks around the vents or on the filter
You can see it: a flex duct lying crushed under storage, a boot pulled off a register, tape hanging off a joint in the attic

What we find in Lago Vista attics

Flex duct crushed flat under Christmas decorations. Runs that were never strapped and now sag into kinks. Boots pulled away from the ceiling so the duct blows into the attic instead of the room. Cloth duct tape that let go years ago. Return plenums with gaps you can put a hand through, sucking in 140-degree air and cedar pollen. Rodent damage in the older lake houses. And in a lot of 1990s and 2000s homes, duct board plenums that were never sealed at the corners. None of it is exotic; it just lives where nobody looks.

Repair, seal or replace?

Repair when the problem is a few specific failures: a crushed run, a disconnected boot, a torn section. We replace the bad sections and reattach what came apart. Our air duct repair page covers these fixes and what they cost.
Seal when the ducts are intact but leaking at the joints, boots and plenums. Mastic and proper fasteners at every connection, plenum seams sealed, boots sealed to the ceiling.
Replace when the duct is old, undersized, mold-lined or so badly routed that sealing would not fix the comfort problem. We size and lay out the new runs for the house.
Clean is what people ask for first and need least. Dust in the ducts came from leaks; seal the leaks and upgrade the filter and the dust stops. Ask us before paying for a cleaning.

What does duct sealing cost in Lago Vista?

Priced for the house and given in writing before we start. What moves it: how many runs and connections, attic access, how much is repair versus sealing, and whether any sections need replacing. A sealed, repaired duct system typically pays back in lower bills and a smaller load on the air conditioner, which lasts longer when it is not fighting a leaky system. The $65 trip charge covers the visit, including a look at the ducts, and is applied to the work.

How duct sealing works

Inspect. We go into the attic and look at every run, boot, joint and plenum, and check airflow at the registers.
Written price for repair, sealing or replacement, with the trip charge applied.
Repair and seal. Crushed or disconnected sections fixed or replaced, every joint and boot sealed with mastic, plenums sealed, runs strapped and straightened.
Test and show you. Airflow checked at the vents again, and we show you what we found and fixed.

Ducts and indoor air quality

Leaky ducts are the first thing to fix before buying any air-quality equipment, because a purifier cannot keep up with attic air pouring in. Once the system is sealed, a media filter cabinet, UV light or REME HALO does what it is supposed to, and a whole-home dehumidifier is not fighting a return leak. See our indoor air quality page for how the pieces fit.

Where we repair and seal ducts

Lago Vista, including Highland Lake Estates, Bar-K Ranches, Lago Vista Country Club Estates, Tessera on Lake Travis, Lakeshore Ranch and Waterford; Jonestown, Point Venture, The Hollows, Lakeway, Leander, Cedar Park, Bee Cave and northwest Austin.

Lago Vista shop: 20811 Dawn Drive, Unit 706, Lago Vista, TX 78645. Lakeway location: 2802 Flintrock Trace, Lakeway, TX 78738.

Dusty house, hot rooms, high bill? Call (512) 662-2949 or request service online.

Inspect the attic, written price, repair and seal, test.

Inspect the attic

Every run, boot, joint and plenum, plus airflow at the registers. We show you what we find.

Written price

Repair, sealing or replacement, priced in writing with the $65 trip charge applied.

Repair and seal

Crushed or disconnected sections fixed, every joint and boot sealed with mastic, plenums sealed, runs strapped and straightened.

Test and show you

Airflow checked again at the vents, and a walk-through of what changed.

Air Duct Sealing & Repair in Lago Vista, TX

Duct sealing and repair in Lago Vista, Jonestown and around Lake Travis

Signs your ducts are leaking

What we find in Lago Vista attics

Repair, seal or replace?

What does duct sealing cost in Lago Vista?

How duct sealing works

Ducts and indoor air quality

Where we repair and seal ducts

How duct sealing works

Inspect the attic, written price, repair and seal, test.

Inspect the attic

Written price

Repair and seal

Test and show you

Duct Sealing & Repair FAQs

Why Homeowners Trust Our Team