Ductwork is a vital part of your home's heating and cooling. Unfortunately, because it's mostly hidden, we tend to forget about it. But ductwork problems can cause high energy bills and issues with heating and cooling.

Here are some issues that ductwork might have and how to deal with them:

Leakage
If your ducts aren't properly airtight, you'll lose air to the surrounding spaces. That means energy loss, since you'll have to turn up your furnace to get a comfortable temperature. You'll also have uncomfortable rooms where there's not enough air to heat (or cool) them.

Finding leaks can be tricky since most of the ductwork is hidden. You can take care of exposed ductwork in the mechanical room, for example. Use a duct sealant like mastic or Underwriter's Laboratories (UL) certified aluminum tape to seal the leak.

Dust, allergen and germ buildup
Ducts can circulate dust throughout your house. This results in poor indoor air quality and can get your family sick. Winter colds are bad enough without dust aggravating your symptoms.

Have professionals clean out your ductwork every few years. The frequency will depend on whether you have allergies, pets or live in a dusty area.

Poor sizing
Air flow distribution depends on ductwork sizing. Even with dampers, ducts must be correctly sized for the amount of air needed to condition a space. Get this wrong and you'll have to deal with discomfort during both seasons.

If you notice some rooms consistently hot in summer and cold in