How to Insulate the HVAC Duct work and the House?
Insulation plays a key role in boosting the effectiveness of your heating and cooling unit. No matter how avaunt-grade unit you buy from the market, an un-insulated house and air duct will lead to the leakage of energy into the surroundings. Therefore if you feel that the insulation of your house and duct is in bad shape, get it repaired as soon as possible. The bad insulation compromises your level of comfort and also increases power bills. The latter is particularly true if the duct work is located in the attic. In scorching summer months, the intense heat can make your air conditioner work harder to generate the require cooling. However, some DIY step scan be effective in insulating your ducts:
Safety First:
Before you begin your work on home’s insulation you should be careful about your own safety. You will be handling an array of materials which can pose danger to your physical being. Therefore, wear goggles, safe clothing, and an approved dust mask. If you are comfortable you can wear a pair of gloves as well.
Plugging the Leaks in the Duct:
Before you plug the leaks, you have to locate them. The best way to do it is to power on your machine. Now try to feel the areas which have developed leaks, by gauging the air pressure. You can also detect them by using a manometer. In that case you have to call a professional who would test the ducts with manometer to detect the leaks. The manometer can read the air pressure. The pressure reading will be less in case of a leaky duct. Once you locate the leaks or the ripping seams, a big part of your job is done.
Applying mastic to leaks:
Once you detect the leaks it is time to plug them. You can use foil that is specially designed to seal ducts. Do not use the traditional duct tape for sealing ducts as these cannot withstand extreme temperatures. To reinforce the insulation you can apply duct mastic to the duct. HVAC duct work are best insulated with a foil faced fiberglass insulation with an R-6 or higher R-value.
Beside the HVAC duct, you should ensure that whole house has a proper insulation. Professional intervention is needed for whole-house insulation.
Insulating your attic:
Attics are one of the most vulnerable areas of the house which allows air from exterior to leak inside your house. Attics are insulated mainly with two types of insulation-Loose-fill or batty insulation.Before you insulate the attic, repair all leaks and make the roof if it is unfinished. If the attic is present in the conditioned area of the house then air-seal the access to the attic. Always remember to insulate the knee walls that have the attic space behind them. If you are using the attic deck as storage space for a heating or cooling unit, then the platform should be raised above the ceiling joists to leave room for adequate insulation. Sometimes the air distribution system is not located within the conditioned area but within the attic. In such a case insulate the rafters to enfold the air distribution system. If you live in a hot climatic region, use radiant barrier to prevent the attic from getting too much heated.
Cathedral ceiling insulation:
If you have properly insulated cathedral ceiling then the temperature in the room will not surge very high beyond the room temperature. It will evenly distribute a moderate temperature throughout the house. Therefore ensure that there is enough space between the roof deck and home’s ceiling for adequate insulation and ventilation. You can get it done by a professional who will use truss joists, scissor truss framing, or big rafters. You can also opt for hot roof design for your cathedral ceiling. This allows good insulation.
Insulating the exterior wall:
Insulating the exterior wall of the house is also effective in preventing loss of heat and cold from the house. Insulating the exterior wall is very easy. You don’t have to disturb the finished areas of the house to do so. You have the blow-in insulation, which, when installed with the dense pack technique, will provide significant air sealing. If you are going to remodel your house where your wall cavities are going to be opened, you can get your walls insulated with spray foam or wet spray cellulose insulation. If your wall cavities will not be opened, you can use inject able spray foam insulation.
Insulating the basement:
It is always a good idea to insulate your basement to ensure a foolproof insulation for the house. Basements are closely connected to the house. Any leakage of air in the basement will have an impact on the insulation of other sections. If you are going to use your basement as a living room you should call a professional to install supply and return register in your basement. The walls of the basement should be insulated to make it cooler.
Disclaimer: Although these are the typical methods used to insulate the duct work and the house, they can vary from place. Please consult the professional service providers the details are for information purposes.