Showing posts with label air ducts. Show all posts
Showing posts with label air ducts. Show all posts
Monday, December 27, 2010
Is Flexible Ductwork a Good Choice for Your Home?
When upgrading your HVAC system, always pay close attention to the ductwork. Flexible ductwork is a growingly popular alternative to traditional hard metal ducts. Before you decide whether or not it’s right for your home, consider the pros and cons carefully.Pros of Flexbile Ductwork
Flexible ducts are cheaper than metal ones. This can save you money on installation and upkeep. If you are on a limited budget or would like to spend more of your remodeling budget elsewhere—like furniture or custom painting—it makes sense to save with flexible ducts.
Because the materials are cheaper, professional labor charges will be less, too. Installation is simpler, so you won’t have to pay top dollar for experienced labor.
Flexible ducts are…well…flexible. That means they can be installed in tight spaces where traditional metal ducts wouldn’t fit. If you’ve got sharp corners and lots of angles, flexible ductwork is a good option.
Cons of Flexible Ductwork
Flexible ductwork can restrict airflow more than metal ducts. Greater airflow means better HVAC system efficiency, but flexible ducts are more susceptible to interference from compression, pinching, and twisting. If ducts are installed in an attic or storage crawl space where boxes or other items could be pushed up against them, this can also diminish airflow. This decreased efficiency could mean higher energy bills.
Durability is also an issue with flexible ductwork. It doesn’t last as long as metal ductwork, it is thin and can puncture easily, and it doesn’t hold up to normal wear and tear like metal does. Over time, flexible ducts can become brittle and break or crack with even a slight touch.
Installing flexible ducts will save money initially, but you’ll have to replace it fairly often, and long before you would metal. This means you’ll incur that same initial cost several times for as long as you live in your home. For a more long-term solution, metal ductwork is a much better choice.
Flexible ductwork is made of a thin, pliable material. Not only does this make less durable than metal, but it also means that flexible ducts are more likely to become damaged in the short term. It’s difficult to install the material without damaging it, as rips and tears can happen very easily. Pests like mice and some insects can eat through the material, causing tears and holes that may be impossible to repair. Any sharp object stored too close to the ducts can easily cut through the ducts, as well. If your installers are not careful, you may end up paying more to replace damaged sections.
Contact Horizon Services with Your Ductwork Questions!
As with any major home renovation project, it’s a good idea to discuss the advantages and drawbacks of flexible ductwork vs. traditional metal ductwork with a qualified HVAC professional. An experienced contractor can help you decide if flexible ductwork is right for your home and will conduct a thorough inspection prior to starting any work. A professional can also help you weigh the cost savings of installing flexible ductwork against the additional expenses this type of material could bring on later. Talk to your Horizon Services comfort consultant; he'll be able to tell you wha ductwork options are best for your home.
Related Information from Horizon Services...
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Gauging the Health of Your Home Heating and Cooling Ducts
If your home has a central heating and air conditioning system, maintaining the ductwork is essential to keeping your home comfortable and healthy. Neglected ducts can harbor high levels of air pollutants, circulating them inside your home and contributing to conditions like asthma, allergies, sinus irritation, and other respiratory problems. Inefficient ducts can also impact your energy usage and may cause a significant increase in your monthly utility bills.Many homeowners think that simply cleaning their ducts will take care of any air quality problems inside their homes. This just isn’t the case. While keeping ducts clean is important, far more significant is what’s going into the ductwork. Harmful fumes from paint and cleaning supplies, tobacco smoke, and even cooking are some of the main causes of poor indoor air quality. If you are having trouble with the quality of air circulating through your home, take a closer look at any of your daily activities that could be contributing to the problem.
Still, cleaning ductwork is important. Mold and odors caused by deceased vermin behind the walls of your home can seep into ducts and interfere with air quality. When cleaning ductwork be sure to replace the air filter, remove any foreign objects, and repair any noticeable cracks, tears, or weak spots. A professional HVAC technician can thoroughly clean your system and make necessary repairs or recommendations to improve the quality of air inside your home.
An impeccable duct system is nothing without a good support team: well insulated windows, doors, attics, crawl spaces, and basements. Without the proper joints and sealants, all the warm or cool air pumped out through your home’s ductwork will be lost to the outdoors. This not only affects the efficiency of your heating and cooling system, but it also raises your monthly utility costs. Be sure that all windows and doors are properly fitted and sealed, and that your home is adequately insulated.
Perhaps the most under-appreciated part of any heating and cooling system is the air return ducts. Proper return ducts ensure consistent, comfortable heating and air conditioning which improves ventilation, air quality, and the overall temperature inside your home. If the air return ducts aren’t functioning properly it can even force your furnace or air conditioning unit to work harder; this can increase wear and tear on your equipment and may shorten the overall life of your system.
Because air return ducts are a complex part of your home’s heating and cooling system, it’s best to leave them to the professionals. If you notice that the rooms in your house with outside walls are often a different temperature than the rest of the home, or that your energy bills are going up even though you haven’t changed your usage habits, it’s a sign that you may be having trouble with your return ducts. It would be wise to call in a professional technician to check things out.
Related Information from Horizon Services...
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Air Ducts 101
What You Can't See May Be Costing Hundreds of Dollars in Wasted Heating and Air Conditioning Bills!Your heating and cooling systems use more energy than any other system in your home. Typically, 46% of your entire utility bill goes for heating and air conditioning alone. For many homeowners, a large chunk of that heating and cooling bill may be completely wasted...and the culprit is hidden out of sight beneath your feet and over your head.
Your home’s air duct system is a complex network of tubes made of sheet metal, fiberglass or other materials that runs throughout your walls, floors, and ceilings, carrying heated or cooled air from your home’s furnace and central air conditioner to each room. But if these air ducts have leaks or are poorly insulated, as much as 60% of your heated or cooled air can be lost before it even reaches the registers in these rooms. That can result in a lot of wasted energy...and money. As well, ducts that are damaged or don’t work properly can create serious, life-threatening carbon monoxide (CO) problems in the home.
Sealing and insulating air ducts that are in unconditioned spaces -- such as an attic, crawl space or basement -- is extremely important and can be a great way to get a handle on out-of-control heating and cooling costs. Insulation if fairly easy to install on existing duct work. If you are buying a new duct system, consider one that comes with insulation already installed. Sealing your air ducts to prevent leaks is even more important if you want to save energy and money. If the supply ducts are leaking, large amounts of heated or cooled air can be forced out of holes or unsealed joints and lost. In addition, unconditioned air can be drawn into return ducts through unsealed joints. In the summer, hot attic air can be drawn in, increasing the load on the air conditioner. In the winter, your furnace will have to work longer to keep your house comfortable. Either way, your energy losses can cost you big bucks.
In most cases, air ducts in unconditioned spaces should be sealed and insulated by a qualified HVAC and duct work professional using appropriate sealing and insulation materials -- especially if the air ducts are concealed. If you're a handy do-it-yourselfer, here are a few simple tips to help with minor or temporary repairs to visible duct work.
- Check your ducts for obvious air leaks. Look for sections of duct work that should be joined but have separated, as well as for holes or punctures.
- If you use tape to seal your ducts, avoid the common cloth-backed, rubber adhesive duct tape that you can get at any old store. This garden variety duct tape tends to fail quickly. Instead, most HVAC and duct contractors recommend professional quality mastic, butyl, foil or other heat-resistant tapes. Look for tape with the Underwriters Laboratories (UL) logo.
- Be award that insulating ducts in the basement will make the basement colder. If the heat ducts are fully insulated, water pipes and drains in the basement could freeze and burst if the basement temperature gets too cold. Use electric heating tape wrap on your pipes to prevent this. Also consider insulating your basement walls to hold more heat in or installing heating in your basement.
- If your basement has been converted to a living area, hire a professional to install both supply and return registers in the basement rooms.
- Make sure that a well-sealed vapor barrier exists on the outside of the insulation on cooling ducts to prevent moisture from building up.
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