Main Ductork In Attic

Burying ducts in attic insulation.

Main ductork in attic.

Ductwork running along an open ceiling in the basement of a one story home is also more affordable to replace. If the ducts are going to be concealed all seams need to be taped or caulked. Throw duct leakage into the mix and the problems are even worse. If you live in a consistently humid climate a dehumidifier can help keep the air around your ductwork dry.

You shouldn t install ducts in a vented unconditioned attic. Turn your hvac system on and feel around all air duct connections for any air leaks. One side of the duct system blows air through the branch ducts while the other side pulls air in. Here s bob s trick for taping a seam on a pipe that s installed close to the subfloor.

Your first stop will be the main unit and its large ducts which are connected to the branch ducts that run throughout the house. The duct insulation should include a vapor barrier cover. Slide the backing up and over the pipe. Use metal flex or fiber board ducts that are insulated to code.

When hvac ducts are installed in a vented attic in a dry climate bury the ducts in attic insulation to protect them from temperature extremes in the unconditioned attic space. The answer is simple. If they are located in your attic be sure the area is properly insulated and any cracks or holes are sealed. Type of ductwork system the least expensive duct system is a radial system of flexible ducts in an attic running to ceiling grates.

As most gba readers know ducts belong inside a home s thermal envelope not in an environment that s cold in the winter. Yes when you bury ducts in attic insulation in a humid climate you increase the risk of water vapor condensation on the jacket of the duct insulation. The costliest are sheet metal ducts running in enclosed walls and ceilings. But in my last article i also showed you some preliminary results from a research study on buried ducts in a hot humid climate.

Cut a piece of foil tape to length. Install ductwork so that it is in direct contact with i e laying on the ceiling and or truss lower cords. Attics are almost as cold as the outdoors during the winter and can be much hotter than the outdoors during the summer. With hundreds of square feet of ductwork surface area in the attic and a δt of 75 f the air coming out of the vents in your home will be significantly higher than 55 f.

If you re used to putting ducts in the attic moving the ducts indoors probably won t be easy by martin holladay august 3 2018 a vented unconditioned attic is a terrible place to locate a furnace and ductwork.