What types of insulation should you use for the ductwork? What R-value should you go for and will you manage to insulate the ductwork in your house all on your own?
We Las Vegas AC Repair present to you the “ductwork insulation: everything you need to know” guide. Here, you will find the answers to all of your questions (and even more).
Does Ductwork Need To Be Insulated?
When talking about ‘ductwork’, we are referring to the system of pipes and ducts that circulate cooled or heated air throughout the house. Unfortunately, the absolute majority of ducts are made out of thin material (fiberglass or sheet metal) and that’s why the air that is traveling through the system can easily get lost.
Of course, you can always choose to not insulate the ductwork in your home. But adding insulation to the system has quite a few benefits that you should know about:
- Reduced energy consumption; lower electricity bills
Insulation helps ensure that the air that is traveling through the system stays at the desired temperature. Moreover, it prevents leakage which, in its turn, leads to energy loss.
In fact, without proper insulation, you can be losing up to 30% of the energy that is used to heat or cool your house.
Where Does Ductwork Need To Be Insulated?
It is incredibly important to install insulation on the parts of the system that travel through unheated space. However, insulation will be just as beneficial in all the other areas of your house.
Is insulating ductwork worth it? The answer to the question, “Should I insulate the ductwork in my basement?” is…. While insulating basement ductwork will, in fact, reduce energy loss from your ducts, thereby lowering the time your system has to run to properly cool or heat your house, it will also tend to make your
So, if you find yourself asking ‘does expose ductwork need to be insulated?’, ‘does ductwork need to be insulated in conditioned space?’, or ‘do HVAC return ducts need to be insulated?’, the answer is positive.
Some experts say that ductwork located inside the building thermal envelope does not necessarily need any insulation, but you can still install it to prevent condensations (especially, if it will be delivering air conditioning).
For an added layer of protection, you can apply duct mastic to the tape and duct. Insulating HVAC Ductwork When insulating HVAC ductwork, use a foil, faced fiberglass insulation with an R-6 or higher R-value.
Wrapping your AC ductwork is an effective way to prevent condensation. Duct wrap has a foam insulation inner layer and a foil outer layer. I’ve got about 70 linear feet of 16″ diameter round metal heating duct in the new basement area that needs insulating.
I want to remove the drywall ceiling, expose the joists and ductwork, and install new batt insulation. I’m in New York. The garage gets in the 30 for the colder range in the dead of winter. If your air ducts run through your garage, it’s a good idea to insulate them as well, for increased HVAC efficiency. If you are looking to heat and cool your garage, then a mini-split system is an excellent option. Mini-split systems are efficient and can provide targeted heating and cooling to specific areas of your home.
Since the duct is coming out it would be good to replace it with an insulated duct board which has both insulation and vapor barrier. Also, duct board is generally easier to seal from air leakage too. if your air ducts run through your garage, it’s a good idea to insulate them as well, for increased HVAC efficiency. If your water heater is in the garage, you can buy a specialized insulation wrap separately that will help your water heater work less hard, saving you money year-round.
It comes in rolls of various widths and is cut to size to wrap completely around the duct with a couple of inches of overlap. It is sealed and secured with foil duct tape. I would use the foil tape rather than cloth duct tape even with the HD stuff to seal around the seams.
This is particularly true if the ductwork is located in the attic, where the intense summer heat can make your air conditioner work overtime to cool your home. Repairing Leaks in Ductwork The whole insulation process will be pointless if there are leaks in the ducts. The spray foam will also air seal any joints in the duct.
I agree… I would think creating a thermal break from the material in contact with the unconditioned space would be more beneficial.
If you have any questions about ductwork, contact us today.
