In the 1970s homes were built without good attic ventilation and with a horrible duct product that actually deteriorates becomes brittle and cracks open.
Replacing flexible duct in attic.
I found instead a vintage 3 ton ac unit with 1 rigid insulation taped all over it and insulated flex duct snaking all over the poorly insulated attic.
This would be one time where a full duct replacement is in order along with creating a better design for proper airflow.
In that case the ductwork could need replacing.
A couple of years ago i even wrote an article about whether or not flex duct should be banned.
Type of ductwork system the least expensive duct system is a radial system of flexible ducts in an attic running to ceiling grates.
Jim hoover owner of hvac2u in warrenton virginia specializes in new construction but can also install new ductwork or replace ductwork for customers in his area.
My answer was no but that we need better quality control.
To prevent problems use saddles or straps to support at regular intervals 4c 4d follow the manufacturer s instructions but in case they get lost here is a list of best practices for.
Mack explains that a typical single family home may need 6 10 duct runs.
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The rigid insulation was saturated from condensation.
The flex ducts were literally filled shut with ice in the low spots compressing the scant insulation layer beneath them.
When i updated and reposted the article recently at green building advisor jack lagershausen the executive director of the air diffusion.
The costliest are sheet metal ducts running in enclosed walls and ceilings.
Ductwork running along an open ceiling in the basement of a one story home is also more affordable to replace.
That sounds like a horrible product and it is.
He charges 5 000 6 000 for a typical new construction ductwork installation job which takes 2 3 days and.
But without proper support ducts can develops sags or kinks that reduce airflow 4a 4b.
Lastly the main reason you might need to replace old duct work is if you are replacing your 30 year old hvac system with a new high efficiency unit.
Visually inspect the ductwork in areas where it is exposed such as attics and crawl spaces.
First you ll need to insist that your hvac contractor performs a series of air conditioning contractors of america acca calculations called.