Guidelines for Quality Ductwork Design That Maximizes Your Orlando Area Home

You probably don’t think much about your ductwork. In fact, for a lot of homeowners, if there aren’t alarming noises coming from the ductwork, it’s out of sight, out of mind. But while your home’s duct system may be unassuming, ductwork design actually has a lot to do with how comfortable you feel in your home and how much you spend to feel that way.

Consider these factors that go into good ductwork design and maintenance:

• Are the ducts placed inside your home’s thermal envelope, or are they exposed to the outside air? If they’re exposed, heat transfer could be happening even as air is being brought to your living areas, reducing the effectiveness of the HVAC system.
• Are the ducts placed and sized so that the pressure coming out of the vents is equal, wherever they’re placed in your house? Improperly-designed ductwork can lead to excessive airflow into areas nearer the air handler and less airflow in areas farther away.
• Are the ducts sealed and insulated? Even if they’re inside the thermal envelope, losing air into crawl spaces, wall spaces, and other places your family doesn’t occupy isn’t going to do you any good.
• Are the supply and return ducts balanced, or do you have more air flowing out of the system than is being brought back in? This can lead to a house that isn’t correctly pressurized, and can lead to unpleasant air drafts.

Ductwork design can seem set in stone, because it’s part of the infrastructure of a house. And it’s true that good duct design should be considered when you’re moving to a new place – especially in central Florida, where you need a good A/C to beat the summer heat. But if you’re building a new home or renovating yours, consider having a professional look at your ductwork to be sure it’s as good as it can be.

To learn more about good ductwork design, call us up anytime at Scott’s Heating & Air Conditioning!

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Categorised in: Ductwork