Insulating Air Conditioning Ducts In Attic

Use the type of metallic foil duct tape recommended by the insulation manufacturer to seal and hold the insulation in place.

Insulating air conditioning ducts in attic. Keep ducts spaced apart so air can flow between them. Final thoughts on condensation on ductwork. To install preformed duct insulation start by disconnecting an elbow to expose the end of the duct. Both of these are easily treatable.

Repeat to insulate the remaining ducts. Wrap the insulation around the duct and then pinch the seam closed. The condenser in your air conditioner works hard to get rid of heat and pressurize refrigerant for the return trip through your house. Apply a long strip of foil tape along the seam in the insulation.

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. R 8 duct insulation 5 227 btu hour. When insulating hvac ductwork use a foil faced fiberglass insulation with an r 6 or higher r value. Dirty air will still enter your ductwork through the leaks even after you add insulation.

The rigid insulation was saturated from condensation. One ton of air conditioning equals 12 000 btu hr so this would be almost half a ton 0 44 of cooling load. 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. Improperly insulated ductwork and excessive moisture in the air.

Seal the leaks with mastic or mastic tape we follow a highly precise seal and test protocol that identifies all leaky areas and results in. Flexible ductwork comes with different insulation r values. Sometimes the insulation is inside the ductwork. I m looking at you mississippi and alabama.

Or you live in a state that doesn t require r 8 on ducts in attics. If you decide to insulate your old ducts just make sure you or your contractor follows this order of operations. At the end of the day there are really only two causes for condensation on ductwork. Secure the insulation with short strips of foil tape.

If they are located in your attic be sure the area is properly insulated and any cracks or holes are sealed. She asked me to go into the attic to find the roof leaks or where the snow is blowing in through the soffits. If you live in a consistently humid climate a dehumidifier can help keep the air. But what if you have an older house that doesn t have r 8 duct insulation.

If ducts are located in a crawlspace underneath your house cover the soil to reduce moisture. Either way removing humidity from the air in your attic might be the most cost effective way to handle your problem.