Insulating Heat Ducts In Attic

Insulation blocks the movement of heat but it can t stop air leaks.

Insulating heat ducts in attic.

Model f8ds14 27 86. The greater the temperature extreme between the air inside the duct and the air surrounding the ductwork the greater your need for duct insulation. The 1 800 square foot brick ranch in climate zone 4 dates from the 1960s but the previous owner installed both a furnace and ductwork in the attic just four years ago. Do you really want to be breathing the air from those spaces 24 7.

Length ductwork insulation sleeve r 8. Our heating and ac ducts are 100 within the thermal envelope in the floor trusses above our insulated basement. Dia x 5 ft. But our erv ducts stand alone system not tied in w heat pump and 2 jumper ducts for pressure balancing from bedrooms are suspended above the insulation in our vented attic.

When insulating hvac ductwork use a foil faced fiberglass insulation with an r 6 or higher r value. Anyway the point of all this is to highlight the fact that you ve got to seal the leaks before you insulate the ducts. Use the type of metallic foil duct tape recommended by the insulation manufacturer to seal and hold the insulation in place. Wrap the insulation around the duct and then pinch the seam closed.

Hvac parts accessories. Apply a long strip of foil tape along the seam in the insulation. Close to 25 of the energy you use to heat and cool your home disappears through leaky ductwork. If the ducts must be located within a vented attic one option for protecting the ducts and helping to minimize heat transfer between ducts and the unconditioned attic is to lay the ducts on the attic floor and cover them with the same blown insulation that is used to cover the attic floor.

Ted also has inherited a powered attic ventilator. Heating venting cooling. L x 16 in. Repeat to insulate the remaining ducts.

Remember a lot of your ductwork is either in your crawlspace or your attic. The department of energy claims that the average us home loses hundreds of dollars a year in heating and cooling costs. Purchase duct wrap insulation that complies with the 2009 international energy conservation code iecc standards that specify an r value of 8 for attic ducts and 6 for ducts located anywhere else. Proper duct insulation is a major key to ensuring your home s energy efficiency.

Secure the insulation with short strips of foil tape. Unitherm univest insulation jacket high temperature 25 in. Although both the attic floor and the ductwork are insulated ted recognizes the situation isn t ideal.