chapter 8: duct design and sealing - bae

Chapter 8: Duct Design and Sealing 131CHAPTER 8: DUCT DESIGN AND SEALINGStudies conducted throughout the country have found that poorly sealed ductwork is often the mostprevalent and yet an easily solved problem in new construction. Duct leakage contributes 10% to 30% ofheating and cooling loads in many homes. In addition, duct leakage can lessen comfort and endangerhealth and safety.Locating ducts in conditioned space eliminates many problems with leakage. Ducts are often installed inchases, the framed air passageways situated behind the ceiling or wall finish. The chases are connectedmore directly to unconditioned space than to interior space. Thus, it is critical to seal chases and otherhidden areas completely from unconditioned spaces.

134 Chapter 8: Duct Design and SealingSome energy efficiency programs require that the cubic feet per minute of duct leakage, measured at a 25Pascal pressure (CFM25), be less than 3% of the floor area of the house. For example, a 2,000 square foothouse should have less than 60 CFM25 of duct leakage.Another test is to use both a blower door (described in Chapter 4) and a duct-testing fan to measure ductleakage after construction is complete. This procedure gives the most accurate measurement of ductleakage to the outside of the home. A duct leakage test can usually be done in about one hour for anaverage sized home.SEALING AIR DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMSDuct leakage should be eliminated. In standard construction, many duct seams are not sealed or arepoorly sealed using ineffective materials. Some of these ineffective materials, including cloth “duct tape,”unrated aluminum tape, or similar products, use lower quality adhesives. These lower quality adhesivesare not designed to provide an airtight seal over the life of the home, mainly due to the slight expansionand contraction of the duct. Be sure to use only the following products for sealing the components of theair distribution system: Duct sealing mastic with fiberglass mesh tape. This mastic is highly preferred and may add $20to $55 to the cost of a $7,000 system, but will provide a lifetime, airtight seal. High quality caulking or foam sealant; and Aluminum UL-181 A or B tape. However, it must be installed properly to be effective. The ductsurface must be clean of oil and dirt. The tape must fully adhere to the duct with no wrinkles. Asqueegee must be used to remove air bubbles from beneath the taped surface. UL-181 tape costsonly $4 to $5 more than “silver tape,” which has an inferior adhesive.Proper sealing and proper insulation of the ductwork in unconditioned areas require careful attention todetail (see Figure 8-2). Extra time is needed on the part of the heating and air conditioning contractor.The cost of this extra time is well worth the substantial savings on energy costs, improved comfort, andbetter air quality that an airtight duct system offers.

Chapter 8: Duct Design and Sealing 135The supply duct, in Figure 8-3, is theoretically in conditioned space; the supply leaks pressurize the bandjoist area and air leaks to the outside. The best solution is to seal all duct leaks and all building envelopeair leaks. The easiest answer to the question of where to seal the air distribution system is“everywhere.”HIGH PRIORITY LEAKSAreas that have the highest priority for sealing include:Disconnected components, including takeoffs that are not fully inserted, plenums or ducts thathave been dislodged, tears in flex-duct, and strained connections between ductwork (visible whenthe duct bends where there is no elbow), Figure 8-4. Ducts can become disconnected during initialinstallation, maintenance, or even normal operation. They should be checked periodically forproblems. Dislodged ducts can be hidden behind insulation (Figure 8-5); look for gaps anddepressions where there is no elbow.The connections between the air handling unit and the supply and return plenums.All of the seams in the air handling unit, plenums, and rectangular ductwork. Look particularlyunderneath components and in any other tight areas. Also, seal the holes for the refrigerant,thermostat, and condensate lines. Use tape rather than mastic to seal the seams in the panels ofthe air handling unit so they can be removed during servicing. After completion of service andmaintenance work, such as filter changing, make sure that the seams are re-taped. Virtually allair handling cabinets come from the factory with leaks, which should be sealed with duct-sealingmastic (Figure 8-6); removable panels should be sealed with tape.The condensate lines of many systems contain a trap with a vertical vent that freely leaks air

136 Chapter 8: Duct Design and SealingThe return takeoffs, elbows, boots, and other connections. If the return is built into an interiorwall, all connections and seams must be sealed carefully. Look especially for unsealed areasaround site-built materials.The takeoffs from the main supply plenum and trunk lines.Any framing in the building used as ductwork, such as a “panned” joist in which sheet metal,nailed to floor joists, provides a space for conditioned air to flow. Avoid using framing as a part ofthe duct system.Sealing a joint that will be inaccessible will help ensure that the joint never comes apart and thenrequire expensive refinishing of a wall or ceiling after it is repaired.

Chapter 8: Duct Design and Sealing 137MODERATE PRIORITY LEAKSOnce all of the high priority leaks have been sealed, consider the following areas:The connections near the supply registers. Check for potential leaks in all areas, includingbetween the branch ductwork and the boot, the boot and the register, and the seams of the elbows(see Figures 8-7 and 8-8).The joints between sections of the branch ductwork.

138 Chapter 8: Duct Design and SealingLOW PRIORITY LEAKSFinally, seal these low priority leaks:Longitudinal seams in round metal ductwork.

140 Chapter 8: Duct Design and SealingDUCT DESIGNDUCT MATERIALSThe three most common types of duct material used in home construction are metal, fiberglass ductboard, and flex-duct (see Figure 8-9). Both metal and fiberglass duct board are rigid and installed inpieces. Flexible duct comes in long sections.Flexible duct is usually installed in long, continuous pieces between the register and plenum box, theplenum box and air handler, or between the register and air handler. Long flex-duct runs can severelyrestrict air flow, so they should be sized and installed carefully. Flex-duct runs should not be pinched orconstricted. Flexible duct takeoffs, while often airtight in appearance, can have substantial leakage andshould be sealed with mastic.Round and rectangular metal ducts must be sealed with mastic and insulated during installation. It isimportant to seal the seams in the ductwork before insulating, because the insulation does not stop airleaks.Rectangular metal ducts, used for plenums and larger trunk duct runs, are often insulated with ductliner, a high density material that should be at least 1 inch thick.

Chapter 8: Duct Design and Sealing 141Metal ducts often use fiberglass insulation having an attached metal foil vapor retarder. The ductinsulation should be at least R-8, and the vapor retarder should be installed to the outside of theinsulation—facing away from the duct. The seams in the insulation are usually stapled together aroundthe duct and then taped. Duct insulation in homes at least two years old provides great clues about ductleakage. When the insulation is removed, the lines of dirt in the fiberglass often show where air leakagehas occurred.SIZING AND LAYOUTThe size and layout of the ductwork affect the efficiency of the heating and cooling system and thecomfort levels in the home. The proper duct size depends on the following items.The estimated heating and cooling load for each room in the house;The length, type, and shape of the duct; andThe operating characteristics of the HVAC system (such as the pressure, temperature, and fanspeed).The layout of the ductwork will affect the amount of air that the duct can deliver, Figure 8-10. Lengthand curvature influence the flow rates. A simple round metal duct, which has been improperly laid out,could have a reduced air flow.The lower temperature of the heated air, delivered by a heat pump, affects the placement of theregisters. A heat pump usually supplies air, heated between 90°F and 110°F. At these temperatures, airleaving registers may feel cool. It is important that the registers be placed to avoid blowing air directlyonto people. Fuel-fired furnaces typically deliver air, heated to temperatures between 110°F and 140°F.This is 40°F to 70°F greater than room temperature; therefore, placement of the supply registers is lessimportant to maintain comfort.In standard duct placement and design, supply registers are usually located on outside walls under orabove windows, and return registers are placed towards the interior, typically in a central hallway.Some builders of energy efficient homes have found little difference in temperature between interiorareas and exterior walls because of the extra energy features. Locating the supply registers on exteriorwalls is not as necessary to maintain comfort. These builders are able to trim both labor and materialcosts for ductwork by locating supply and return ducts near the core of the house.In standard duct design, virtually all supply ducts are 6-inch flex-duct or round metal pipe. Moststandard designs have only one return for each floor.Keeping all ducts a standard size may work for some homes, but can create operating problems forothers, including:Too much heating and cooling supplied to small rooms, such as bathrooms and bedrooms withonly one exterior wall;Inadequate airflow, and thus, insufficient heating and cooling in rooms located at the greatestdistance from the air handler; andOver pressurization of rooms when interior doors are closed.

142 Chapter 8: Duct Design and Sealing

Chapter 8: Duct Design and Sealing 143The heating and cooling industry has comprehensive methods to size supply and return ductworkproperly. These procedures are described fully in Manual D, Duct Design, published by the AirConditioning Contractors of America.Unfortunately, few residences have ductwork designed via Manual D. The primary "design" isdetermining, usually via intuition, how many 6-inch ducts to install in each room.Figure 8-11 shows the size ductwork Manual D would specify for a small home. The design is vastlydifferent from the typical, all 6 inch system. The advantage of proper design is that each room receivesair flow proportionate to its heating and cooling load, thus increasing overall comfort and efficiency.Figure 8 - 11 Duct Design Using Manual D

144 Chapter 8: Duct Design and SealingDuctwork SummarySupplySizeNumber5” 36” 57” 710” 1The following recommendations, while no substitute for a Manual D calculation, should improve systemperformance:If two rooms have similar orientation, window area, and insulation characteristics, but one roomis considerably farther from the air handling unit than the other, consider increasing the size ofthe ductwork going to the farthest room;Bonus rooms over garages often need additional or larger supplies;Rooms with large window areas may warrant an extra supply duct, regardless of the room size;andLarge rooms with few windows, one wall exposed to the exterior, a well insulated floor, and aconditioned space above may need only one small duct.