A STEP BY STEP GUIDE TO IMPROVE PIPE AND
DUCTWORK INSULATION
People often complain about the pipe insulation of ductwork insulation in their house.
The complaints are often about too little or too much airflow, too much noise, the HVAC
system overworking itself, etc. This happens when the ductwork insulation is not done
properly. In addition to that, the insulated render system and waterproof external pipe insulation must also be taken care of.
In order to achieve the best results, it’s important that you follow the tips below and hire
the best-experienced team that helps you in applying these tips at the time of installation
the pipes and ducts.
#1 Use bigger ducts for slowing down the air
When the air moves faster through a duct, it faces more resistance and this will create
more noise. Letting the air move at a slower speed will keep things quiet and efficient.
But make sure you don’t allow the air to move too slow when the ducts are placed in an
uncontrolled space. This should be taken care of at the time of ductwork insulation work
or pipe insulation work.
#2 Placing the supply registers
The heating and cooling system is in place to make sure the people in the room feel
comfortable. When the air blows on your skin directly it might be a good feeling in the
summers, but it’s definitely not a good thing to feel in winters. If this happens, you can
place the supply registers in place, so that the air doesn’t blow directly on you and you
can further avoid feeling uncomfortable.
#3 Ordering filters and keeping the ducts clean
Make sure when you order the filters for your HVAC system, all the filters are of the
same size. This will only make it easier for you when it comes time to change the filters
in the system. You will not have to worry as to which filter will go where if they are all the
same size. This also depends largely on how the HVAC design is.
You can choose the largest filter grille size and order filters accordingly. You must also
keep the return ducts cleaner, for this you can place the filters in return grilles. It is also
important to increase the size of the filters. A high-efficiency filter doesn’t kill the airflow,
but it’s bound to happen with an undersized filter.
#4 Put transfer grilles
When a room stays closed, it tends to create huge pressure differences inside the
building. A lot of older buildings have supply wents but no return vents. This should be
rectified at the time of HVAC duct insulation or pipe insulation work. You can put
dedicated returns or install transfer grilles through the insulated render system.
#5 Make use of better fittings
If you see an HVAC duct insulation or a ductwork insulation manual, the duct designs
have tables of equal lengths for all kinds of fittings. Make sure you avoid choosing the
high equivalent lengths, if possible.
When the wrong fitting is used through an insulated render system, it often becomes a
primary cause for reduced airflow. It’s important to keep in mind that when it comes to
fittings, the transition must be as smooth as possible. When there are sudden changes
in size, it ends up adding turbulence.
#6 Put the air handler in the middle of the building
When you place the air handler in the middle of the building, the airflow pathway
becomes shorter. When the air handler is on one side of the building, you will be
required more pipe insulation or waterproof pipe insulation and more fittings and length.
#7 Cover the leakages with mastic
There are often leakages in pipe insulation or ductwork insulation, which can lead to a
huge problem. Make sure a lot of mastics are used to cover all the connections and joints.
This must be done at the time of installation because it’s easier to put it on during
HVAC duct insulation work rather than doing it once the damage is uncovered.
#8 Place the insulation in conditioned spaces
When HVAC duct insulation or ductwork insulation is placed in an unconditioned space,
it causes a lot of problems at a later stage. So it is important you place the ductwork
insulation or pipe insulation in a conditioned space.
There can be a lot of moisture problems later in the unconditioned spaces. It is proven
that when ductwork insulation or pipe insulation is done in a conditioned space, the
performance is always better. You can try replacing it with waterproof pipe insulation if
it works. This will help keep the moisture away.
#9 Bury the ducts inside the insulation
If you can’t find a space to put ducts, make sure you bury them inside ductwork
insulation or pipe insulation. This allows them to be safe and away from any damage.
#10 Shorten the ducts
With a new building, you can reduce the overall length of the duct. When these ducts
are put deep in the attic, the ductwork insulation or pipe insulation becomes difficult to
manage. This can end up in excess of heat loss or gain, or higher bills.
#11 Do not use bypass ducts
Do not make use of bypass ducts as they can often decrease the efficiency of your
HVAC system. It can also end up damaging your HVAC duct insulation or ductwork
insulation, damage the compressor, or freeze the coil.
#12 Start with a good design
One of the most important steps which should have been mentioned right in the
beginning is to invest in a good HVAC design. Then install the system using the best
practices and tips that are mentioned above.
Wrap up
Some of the best ways to improve and maintain pipe insulation and ductwork insulation
is to have a good design and a good team to help you with the installation of the
system.
Having the right knowledge, depending on the system and the building it’s being
installed in is very important. The insulated render system must be perfect and in place
and make sure the waterproof external pipe insulation and overall HVAC duct insulation
are in place and covered properly.
Author Bio
As the marketing head at Galaxy Insulation Dry Lining in the UK, Cinthia Rosa has a
reputed name in the industry. She consistently contributes her valuable knowledge to
the top blogging sites.
