Should I Replace Flex Duct With Rigid

Here are three things to look for so you can see if your flex ducts look ok.

Should i replace flex duct with rigid.

Anything longer starts to hinder air flow. Flexible also known as flex ducts can be easily molded to fit a variety of positions. One of the main aspects of duct design is the type that will be used either flexible or rigid. Duct tape has many uses but sealing ducts isn t one of them.

Most often flex duct is used to reduce cost or in places where metal duct work will not fit. We have talked about ducts being a channel from your hvac system throughout your home. More than likely. You mentioned that you were considering re insulating your current metal duct work.

If you can replace all flex duct do so but accepting 1 or 2 feet of flex at the end of a pipe run is acceptable. This is a great decision. Both types of ductwork have specific features pros cons and specifications. He charges 5 000.

All ducts whether rigid or flexible should be sealed with ul 181 rated duct mastic. Flex duct should pulled tight to reduce inner air resistance. When ducts are located outside the conditioned space they should be sealed to prevent loss of conditioned air and also insulated to prevent thermal loss or gain from the ambient air. Often pricing per duct run ranges between 150 and 250 from air duct professionals.

Flex ductwork is easy to install but it s a treacherous road should your contractor have taken it. It originates at your air handler or furnace and ends at wall floor or ceiling vents. To support flex duct properly use straps that are at least 1 5 inches wide. Long poorly supported runs of flex duct sag stress and separate rigid ducting systems often called hard pipe are prone to their own brand of installer pitfalls particularly extra duct length if cutting off is awkward or just too time consuming unnecessary dead end extents are sometimes capped off and left.

The photo at right shows such a strap. These are rigid ductwork and flex ductwork. If your budget allows you may want to consider resealing your duct work with a mastic product. Duct carries heated and cooled air throughout your home.

Jim hoover owner of hvac2u in warrenton virginia specializes in new construction but can also install new ductwork or replace ductwork for customers in his area. Now there are two major types of air ducts that you can choose depending on what you want and need. As you would expect rigid ducts are created in a fixed position usually made of metal and can t be bent or curved without damaging it. During our energy audits here is a short list of pitfalls green id typically finds in a home s ductwork.

Rigid and flex ductwork. Flex duct in short amounts 4 feet or less is perfectly fine for quality and performance. Mack explains that a typical single family home may need 6 10 duct runs. This in theory is what flex duct should be used for.