With newer foundation systems involving embedded rebar or tension cables making in slab hvac ductwork nearly impossible there s little other option but to move it to the attic.
Attic hvac ducts.
Well mainly it s a way to save space.
The air ducts for a central hvac systems are typically located above a home in the attic or upper crawl space or underneath a home in the space between the foundation and the floor so.
Install ductwork so that it is in direct contact with i e laying on the ceiling and or truss lower cords.
When water condenses and drips into your attic or home it can cause a some serious secondary problems.
Flexible duct is a plastic tube that is reinforced with wire and then insulated on the outside.
The really bad news is that with old metal duct systems the only option is replacement of the ducts to stop the rain in the attic.
All ducts are at risk for this type of leakage.
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.
Use metal flex or fiber board ducts that are insulated to.
Why is condensation on ductwork a problem.
Ted has more than a few cobwebs in his attic.
Why is this a problem.
The unconditioned space also houses his hvac system.
Duct leakage causes a lot of problems including less.
First water dripping off of your ducts and onto your insulation can cause the insulation to compress which decreases it s r value or ability to insulate.
Here are the itemized costs for the most common types of ductwork and supplies needed to complete installation.
Here s why that is a good thing.
The next most typical type of duct systems is made of flexible duct.
Most updated central air conditioned homes have a new air conditioner split system meaning the ac is broken up into parts.
1 10 5 25 per foot insulated flexible duct 4 to 16 diameters used as branches or in radial duct attic systems 2 30 13 00 per foot round and oval sheet metal duct 3 to 8 diameters typically used for trunks in small homes and.
There will be less duct leakage.
When insulating hvac ductwork use a foil faced fiberglass insulation with an r 6 or higher r value.
In the 70 s and 80 s in slab hvac ductwork was commonplace and took advantage of the relatively stable temperature of the slab at or near the ground.
Don t use standard cloth duct tape on hvac ductwork since the adhesive won t hold up to extreme temperatures.
If you have central heating and or air conditioning in your home the warm or cool air is delivered to each room through a system of connected ducts and vents.
Flex ducts themselves do not sweat however if the.
Attic hvac systems save space.
The 1 800 square foot brick ranch in climate zone 4 dates from the 1960s but the previous owner installed both a furnace and ductwork in the attic just four years ago.
Cost of installation supplies.
For an added layer of protection you can apply duct mastic to the tape and duct.
An outdoor unit which houses the fan condenser and compressor and an indoor unit which holds the evaporator and fan.
So water is condensing on your ac ducts.
Sometimes air conditioned air will seep right through your ducts and become useless instead of heating and cooling your home.