Duct replacement best practices and procedures. Quality ducts properly sized and installed are required to have your system operate at its full potential.
Does your home need ductwork replacement in Slidell, LA?
- Disclaimer – Read the disclaimer at the bottom of this page.
Ductwork Replacement
Table of Contents
Does Ductwork need to be replaced if it’s metal or doesn’t have very many holes or leakage?
These are good questions to ask. After going on numerous service calls and seeing the good bad and the ugly.
I will give you my perspective on duct replacement for your Slidell home.
For the sake of keeping this as interesting as possible.
I will start with some not-so-obvious reasons to have your Slidell home ductwork replaced.
DUCTS ARE NOT SIZED CORRECTLY.
Many of the homes we visit have ductwork, that for all appearances seems to be fine.
The ducts may be relatively clean inside and don’t have very much leakage.
But does this mean they are sized correctly?
If the current ducts were designed for equipment originally in the home when it was first designed. It may be the correct size to allow the system to operate at its optimum performance.
But if the indoor and outdoor condensers were replaced. But the old ducting and return air system left in place – then your ducts may need to be replaced.
Ductwork replacement typically only comes to mind when people think about allergies and other respiratory issues.
People typically don’t question if the ducts are the correct size.
I have witnessed first-hand numerous new homes and developments that have improperly sized ducts.
How does that happen?
When your home blueprints were designed the mechanical section of the blueprints included the properly designed ducting.
Designed for the size and style of the system being installed in the new home.
Don’t Cut Corners Doing Ductwork Replacement.
Some contractors. Not all but some contractors cut corners and don’t follow the blueprints to the letter. They will use RULE-OF-THUMB type HVAC principles to size the ducts and return air.
But “wait a minute” don’t the jobs have to pass an inspection. They do have to pass an inspection. In defense of the inspectors,
How can they possibly go through a whole job and do all the mathematical calculations and other tasks?
Having inspected numerous jobs I know the inspectors are doing a great job. They do everything in their power to ensure the safety of the mechanical installation.
But the specifics of airflow calculations and other specifics are really left to the installers doing the job.
Because of this many homes in Slidell, LA has improperly sized ducts.
Many homes need the ducts replaced because the old equipment was replaced and the new equipment requires different airflows.
Modifications to existing equipment can be made if that is a route someone wants to take. However, in many cases, the ducts have so much dust and other growth inside of them.
It’s a good idea to just have them replaced.
Having improperly sized ducts can dramatically shorten the life of modern HVAC equipment. Over the life of the system costs you thousands of dollars extra in utility bills.
DIRTY DUCTS
Having dirty ducts will not only restrict the airflow in the duct system but can cause numerous health issues.
Over the last 40 years, homes are being built with improved insulation. This is good for keeping cold air in for the summer and hot air in for the winter.
A tightly sealed home isn’t good if your ducts have various contaminants inside of them.
If your home is sealed up tight and not able to breathe then it’s very likely your indoor air is dirtier than your outdoor air.
Having your dirty ducts replaced with new properly sized ducts will improve your indoor air quality, and may even increase the life of your HVAC equipment while possibly lowering your utility bills.
Bad Workmanship On Ductwork Replacement Job
Your Slidell home may have ducts that are properly sized. They may even be clean but, what if the installation was done very poorly.
If your ducts are twisting and turning with bends and unsealed connections.
It won’t matter if your ducts are properly sized and clean.
Each size and type of material of the duct will only allow certain CFMs of air to flow through the ducts.
This is also determined by the size of the return air needs to be on the ductwork replacement job.
The return air is the location where the air in your home is being pulled in by the system blower motor.
Some parts of the country will have a return air that is located in one central area of the home.
Other parts of the country will have a return air grill in every room. Then one filter location back at the main return air plenum.
Cheap Ductwork Replacement
If you are thinking about having your ducts replaced in your Slidell home don’t choose the cheapest option. Consider all your options and decide if spending a little more will save you boat-loads on the back end. You will save money by having a high-quality properly sized and properly installed duct system. To have a competent company and experts do the work may cost you a little more on the front end. But will save you thousands on the back end. You won’t have to worry about your equipment failing prematurely or higher than normal utility bills. You won’t have to worry about hot and cold spots in your home.
DISCLAIMER!
* WARNING! This post and information on this website are for trained and certified technicians only. It is for educational purposes only. Under no circumstances should anyone who is not qualified or have the required permits or licensing attempt to use any information in this post to try and repair an HVAC or electrical system on their own. The opinions and methods I use are my opinions and I give no guarantee of any type of outcome. In other words, if you are not a trained and certified technician you should not attempt any repairs on your own. You should hire a licensed professional to do the work.
*Income & Affiliate Disclaimer. If you purchase a product or service from one of the links on this page you should assume I earn an affiliate commission. Meaning I earn money because you purchase through one of my links. You should also assume that by clicking on my links you may receive email communications from me.