Ask the Colonial Techs: Whistling at Night? That Vent Hiss Is Wasted Heat

Have you ever noticed a soft whistling at night and can’t figure out where the heck it’s coming from? There’s a good possibility it’s air squeezing through leaks, kinks, or a duct system running at too much static pressure.

That’s literally heat you already paid for is getting dumped into the attic or strangled in a tight run. When that starts happening, your furnace must work double-time. So, those cold rooms this fall aren’t a thermostat problem—it’s an air duct repair problem.

Here’s what we see in the field. Register boots loosen over time or flex ducts get bent. Sometimes, it’s something as simple as oversized filters, closed supply vents, or undersized returns. The whistling noise you hear is a symptom of static pressure. The result is wasted heat and money out of your pocket to pay increased heating costs.

If you hear whistling, try these suggestions: 

• Hold a tissue around the grille frame. If it flutters at the edges, the boot is leaking.
• Reopen closed supply vents and swap any overly restrictive filter for something with a lower MERV rating. If the hissing sound stops, you found your solution. 

If you’re still hearing the whistling, it’s time to call in Colonial. We have the professional tools needed to check static pressure, temperature rises and drops between rooms, and airflow at all points of your system. Once the source is found, the fix is usually easy. 

Hear the hiss? Keep your heat in the house and more money in your pocket. Call (804) 526-8415 or book Colonial Plumbing & Heating Co., Inc. online for targeted air duct repair done the right way. Reach out and we’ll respond ASAP.