Insulating Heating Ducts In Attic

According to rightsuite the software we use the supply ducts have about 560 square feet of surface area and the return ducts 101 square feet.

Insulating heating ducts in attic.

Purchase duct wrap insulation that complies with the 2009 international energy conservation code iecc standards. Install ductwork so that it is in direct contact with i e laying on the ceiling and or truss lower cords. For an added layer of protection you can apply duct mastic to the tape and duct. Made from 1 to 2 inch thick sheets of rigid glass fiber and coated with an aluminum laminate for a moisture air barrier duct board comes in sections that fit together like metal ducts.

Press a continuous strip of foil tape to all longitudinal seams along straight runs of duct. Duct board much like the duct liner is also a fiberglass product. Use the type of metallic foil duct tape recommended by the insulation manufacturer to seal and hold the insulation in place. If necessary switch the wires to reduce the blower to its lowest.

Because the moving air is in the ductwork for only a short period of time it does not need the insulation r value the attic floor requires. Don t use standard cloth duct tape on hvac ductwork since the adhesive won t hold up to extreme temperatures. Other times insulation may be on the outside. Looking at the cooling side only the additional load would be.

Look for signs of air leaks at seams or joints such as streams of dust. Sometimes the insulation is inside the ductwork. When the attic is 20 f that insulation is addressing a delta t of 50 f. So logically the ducts deserve more not less insulation.

Insulating exposed heating ducts in attics basements and under subfloors can improve the energy efficiency of a heating system. Inspect the span of ductwork to be insulated. Use a paintbrush to apply duct mastic to the joints where an elbow. Because the simplest and cheapest way to insulate an attic is to add material to the floor.

When insulating hvac ductwork use a foil faced fiberglass insulation with an r 6 or higher r value. But if the floor is covered in plywood you can t stuff enough insulation beneath it to do the job sufficiently not even in warm climates. R 8 duct insulation 5 227 btu hour. Duct liner isn t generally a diy installation and if your ducts already have liner you don t need to insulate the exterior.

Plan to pull up the flooring and layer new insulation on top of the old. Check the speed of the blower motor on the furnace. How to insulate your central air heating ducts 1. 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 existing metal ductwork in an older home may or may not have insulation. After all most new homes have r 49 insulation on the attic floor holladay continues. All the ducts are in the attic. Typical ducts install between a plenum or large supply duct and.