An easy way for you to understand your home's HVAC ductwork is to picture it much like the highway you may drive each day on your way to work. When things are going smoothly and there aren't many other cars on the road, you can cruise down the highway unobstructed and at a good, steady speed. You can make your turns smoothly and continue down the next road. However, if you get caught up in rush hour, when there are a lot of cars on the road, or if there is something in the middle of the road, then things will come to a halt. You will find yourself moving at a snail's pace and needing to steer around obstructions. Your HVAC ductwork works this same way; if there are things going on that block the flow, then you will have issues with the air making its way through the system the way it should. Here are some things to know about the movement of your ductwork:

There could be a traffic jam in your ductwork

There are a good deal of things that can lead to you dealing with a traffic jam in your ductwork that can prevent the airflow from moving the way it should through the system. For example, pests like raccoons or other small- to medium-sized animals can make their way into your ductwork and decide they want to make a home up there. This can cause a lot of troubles for you. It will prevent the air from moving the way it should, it can cause bad odors to overtake your home, and it can cause you to hear worrisome noises at night that get you up out of bed with your flashlight and a bat. If you determine you may have pests in your ductwork, you want to immediately have an HVAC technician come out to investigate and take care of the issue.

You may have leaks in the ductwork

Just like streets can get cracks in them that slow traffic down, your ductwork can end up with leaks that cause problems. Air leaking out the ductwork means it is not going through the system to properly heat or cool your home. This puts more stress on the system and causes an increase in your energy bills. Sometimes, you may be able to tell you have a leak because you will hear a faint whistle or hiss. Other times, you will have to go by the fact that your system is not heating or cooling your home efficiently.

Your filter may be clogged

Just like the on-ramp can get congested on a highway entrance, the air filter can get clogged and stop progress right there. If the air can't get into the system, then everything goes downhill from that point, and your system will work harder and harder, to no avail. This leads to high bills and the possibility of motor problems that will need repairing. This is why you need to keep up with the cleaning of that filter.

For more information, contact a company that offers HVAC services.