Proper Ductwork Design Matters: 5 Things to Look For in Your NC Home
Air ducts are the circulatory system of your central air installation, and if they’re not well-designed, your home will suffer uneven heating and cooling. If you’re thinking of buying a home or you’re evaluating your own home with renovations in mind, here are five things to keep an eye out for in your home’s ductwork design.
- Do ducts run through unconditioned areas? If your ducts are passing through attics, crawl spaces or other areas your HVAC system doesn’t keep at a comfortable temperature, that means they have an opportunity to shed heat when they’re carrying hot air or gain heat when they’re carrying cool air, which equates to less cooling efficiency for your home. Insulation can mitigate this, but as much of your ductwork as possible should be in the conditioned zone of your house.
- Today, all ductwork should be made of metal or fiberglass. In older homes, though, sometimes air was simply routed through sealed wall voids, which isn’t a solution that will last or conserve air and energy.
- If your home has a branching ductwork design, there should be a manual damper where the trunk splits into each of its branches. This allows you to re-balance airflow throughout your home.
- Ideally, every room should have both a supply and a return duct. If this isn’t the case, rooms without air ducts should have passages back to central return ducts, such as air pass-through grilles.
- All ductwork should be sealed and joined in order to prevent air leaks, but even ductwork that’s properly designed can develop ruptures or leaks over time. Having a qualified HVAC specialist test your home’s ductwork for airtightness can give you some idea of whether your ducts are losing you money.
Learn more about Air Experts’ ductwork design solutions, or contact us at 919-480-2727!
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