Best Insulation For Attic Ductwork

You don t want to end up with the wrong type of insulation for your air ducts.

Best insulation for attic ductwork.

Close to 25 of the energy you use to heat and cool your home disappears through leaky ductwork. For an added layer of protection you can apply duct mastic to the tape and duct. I called out the original hvac company and they took a look and said they saw no water. The effective r value of a buried duct installation depends on the size of the ducts the r value of the duct insulation and the depth of the loose fill insulation.

Secure the insulation with short strips of foil tape. You can find formaldehyde free insulation that also has an acrylic coating. Insulate ducts located on roofs and on unconditioned spaces like the attic garage crawlspace or unfinished basement. Air ducts supply conditioned air from heating or air conditioning equipment into the living spaces of your home.

The ducting currently rests on the attic joist which causes any residual r value from disintegrating insulation to be non existent. Find your zone on the map and then use the chart to determine the level of insulation you need to properly insulate your attic walls floors and crawlspaces. Recently i had another hvac company come out and put in a new bathroom vent and they told me they believed the duct work was full of water. Wrap the insulation around the duct and then pinch the seam closed.

Table 1 shows effective r values for 8 inch round ducts at three attic insulation levels and three duct insulation levels r 4 2 r 6 and r 8. Duct liner isn t generally a diy installation and if your ducts already have liner you don t need to insulate the exterior. Granted the insulation on that duct has surpassed it life expectancy and my duct resides in the unconditioned attic. When insulating hvac ductwork use a foil faced fiberglass insulation with an r 6 or higher r value.

To install preformed duct insulation start by disconnecting an elbow to expose the end of the duct. It was new when the ac was put in 7 years ago. Apply a long strip of foil tape along the seam in the insulation. 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.

Each job may require a different form of insulation. These ducts are usually made out of thin sheet of metal that easily conduct heat. Duct board much like the duct liner is also a fiberglass product. Repeat to insulate the remaining ducts.

The department of energy claims that the average us home loses hundreds of dollars a year in heating and cooling costs. Use the type of metallic foil duct tape recommended by the insulation manufacturer to seal and hold the insulation in place. Achieving greater r values in attics the higher the r value the better the thermal performance of the insulation.