Insulating Heat Ducts In Attic

So logically the ducts deserve more not less insulation.

Insulating heat ducts in attic.

Of course you might also consider replacing your old ducts. Other times insulation may be on the outside. Most attic ducts are insulated flex ducts that is flex ducts with r 6 or r 8 fiberglass insulation along with an exterior polyethylene jacket. Install ductwork so that it is in direct contact with i e laying on the ceiling and or truss lower cords.

Plan to pull up the flooring and layer new insulation on top of the old. 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. Our team follows a rigorous process for replacing ductwork. Flexible ductwork comes with different insulation r values.

Out with the old in with the new. When insulating hvac ductwork use a foil faced fiberglass insulation with an r 6 or higher r value. If necessary switch the wires to reduce the blower to its lowest. Use the type of metallic foil duct tape recommended by the insulation manufacturer to seal and hold the insulation in place.

The greater the temperature extreme between the air inside the duct and the air surrounding the ductwork the greater your need for duct insulation. 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. But whether you hire us or somebody else be sure your contractor follows these steps. First consider the duct location.

Replacing your ducts is another option when you ve got old uninsulated ones. Press a continuous strip of foil tape to all longitudinal seams along straight runs of duct. A metal duct conveying cool conditioned air through a broiling attic in summer or warm air through a chilly crawl. Use a paintbrush to apply duct mastic to the joints where an elbow.

Make sure the foil surface of the insulation is free of dust before applying the tape. 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. But the air in the ducts is facing a delta t of maybe 100 f or 120 f a greater delta t. Wrap fiberglass duct insulation around the ducts and tape the seams together.

Because the simplest and cheapest way to insulate an attic is to add material to the floor. Check the speed of the blower motor on the furnace. After all most new homes have r 49 insulation on the attic floor holladay continues. Unfortunately so many houses especially newer homes end up with ductwork running through the attic.

Acute temperatures in these areas contribute to thermal loss in metal ductwork.