Insulating Hvac 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 hvac ducts in attic.

Apply a long strip of foil tape along the seam in the insulation. In addition to making the unit hard to get to for service high attic heat can trigger the. Obviously it s hard to install r 60 duct insulation. Repeat to insulate the remaining ducts.

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. Inspect the span of ductwork to be insulated. But the air in the ducts is facing a delta t of maybe 100 f or 120 f a greater delta t. Snap a plastic cap onto the duct end then slip the preformed insulation over the duct.

Insulating hvac ductwork when insulating hvac ductwork use a foil faced fiberglass insulation with an r 6 or higher r value. No building inspector worth his or her salt is going to let any builder or hvac contractor get away with installing ducts that aren t insulated. To install preformed duct insulation start by disconnecting an elbow to expose the end of the duct. When these ducts are exposed to exterior air the plastic jacket never gets cold enough to permit condensation because the hot attic air keeps the plastic jacket warm.

Look for signs of air leaks at seams or joints such. Duct board much like the duct liner is also a fiberglass product. This of course is a good thing. Purchase duct wrap insulation that complies with the 2009 international energy conservation code iecc standards that specify an r value of 8.

Duct liner isn t generally a diy installation and if your ducts already have liner you don t need to insulate the exterior. Insulated ducts have been the standard for decades now. All the ducts are in the attic. 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.

So logically the ducts deserve more not less insulation. Use the type of metallic foil duct tape recommended by the insulation manufacturer to seal and hold the insulation in place. When the attic is 20 f that insulation is addressing a delta t of 50 f. The duct insulation should include a vapor barrier cover.

Secure the insulation with short strips of foil tape. Duct insulation keeps air that s supposed to be cool cool and air that s supposed to be warm warm. R 8 duct insulation 5 227 btu hour. Put it in an attic full of blown insulation and you re forcing it to work harder to vent its heat.

How to insulate your central air heating ducts. Use metal flex or fiber board ducts that are insulated to code. Make sure the foil surface of the insulation is free of dust before applying the tape. If your ducts aren t insulated you re probably paying way more than you should to cool and heat your home.