Advantages of Spiral Ducts
Spiral ducts are being widely used today in buildings of all types be it commercial or residential. You can see them everywhere from trendy cafes to home decor stores. Their popularity is mainly on account of two reasons –contemporary, fashionable look and convenience in installation. Let us take a look at some of the advantages that spiral ducts offer over traditional air ducts-
No leakage
A major cause of energy loss in houses is leaky ducts. Almost 20 % of conditioned air leaks into the surrounding through seepage in the duct. This problem is largely eliminated in case of spiral ducts. These are self-sealing duct systems that guarantee to meet the highest industry air-leakage standard. The spiral ducts come in various shapes such astound, oval, flat ovals etc.Some of the spiral ducts feature self-sealing double-gaskets. They meet Class 3 which is the highest level air tightness in air duct systems as recognized by the Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors’ National Association (SMACNA).
Less energy consumption
When you lose a considerable chunk of cooled or hot air into the surrounding, your machine works harder to render the desired level of outcome. As a result the cost of filtering, heating, cooling, and ventilating air increases. According to a study,nation-wide adoption of airtight duct systems can result in annual energy savings comparable to the annual energy product of three nuclear power plants. In spiral duct the drop in pressure of the air that leaves the air handler is quite low. This kind of duct system provides a uniform pressure inside as a result the air flows efficiently. Consequently, the energy consumption goes down.
Minimal entry of contaminants
Leak sin the duct lead to intrusion of dust mites,dirt, debris, allergens, and, mold spores in your air conduits. These gradually find their way into your living space and cause many health hazards such as allergies, respiratory ailments etc. The spiral duct with their air tight design is able to tackle this problem.
No Noise
Many times the users complain of noises coming of their ducts. The noise is mainly generated by reverberation due to pressure difference in the rectangular duct. Moreover, the typical design of rectangular ducts result in the air moving around sharp edges, dampers, and turning blades. These often pose obstruction which cause noisy disturbances. In spiral ducts sharp edges are very few as a result you will not see such noisy turbulence.
Easy and cost-effective cleaning
Air ducts get laden with dirt and other aerial contaminants, if not cleaned on regular intervals. The cleaning methods of spiral duct are easy and getting them done professionally is economical and effective.Duct cleaning equipment for cleaning spiral ducts are outlined in the North American Insulation Manufacturers Association (NAIMA) Duct Cleaning Guide.Air chutes are frequently inspected for airflow measurement. For spiral ducts there are a host of inexpensive and accurate flow-measurement devices for regular check-ups or continuous monitoring.
Requires less space
When making rectangular ducts, 3” space should be left ideally for associated fittings to be fitted at various joints of the ducts. In case of spiral ducts it is not needed.
Aesthetic appeal
The spiral ducts undoubtedly have a greater aesthetics appeal than rectangular ducts. You can select various innovative designs in spiral duct such as exposed duct work to have a contemporary look. Spiral ducts come with joints that are reinforced by gaskets. As a result they do not need sealants to secure junctions. They also do not require too many flange connections, supports, and hangers. This gives theme clean look. You will not see dust streaking in spiral ducts. Spiral ducts with RGS-3 registers do not require register taps as they are attached directly to the duct work. This renders them a streamlined getup.
Less installation cost
Installation cost of spiral duct area almost 50% less than rectangular ducts. Installation cost involves cost of product, parts, labor, warehousing, transportation, packaging, and waste disposal. The low cost is on account of speedy installation and elimination of too many accessories. Being light these ducts can be installed by a single professional,which cuts down labor cost. According to manufacturers they are almost 30 to 40% lighter than rectangular ducts.