Ductwork balancing
Did you know that the efficiency of your air conditioning and heating system, and the comfort it provides is directly related to the design, quality, and condition of your HVAC ductwork? Are you experiencing difficulty regulating the temperature throughout your home?
According to your reliable Sparta heating and ductwork specialists, it’s not uncommon to find a system 20% to 40% low on airflow. Lack of proper airflow drastically reduces the efficiency of your heating and air conditioning system. Having your air duct system professionally balanced might solve your problems, thus improving comfort and efficiency.
Ductwork mechanics
The fan from a forced air furnace puts out a specific quantity of air. That air flow is divided between all of the output registers in the house, and how it gets there can make a difference. Every elbow, division or change in size in the ductwork creates resistance to air flow — and any change in any part of the system effects all the other parts of the system simply because they are sharing the flow from one single source fan in the furnace.
In many homes, and mostly in two-story homes, there is usually one or two rooms that just can’t keep up with the others. Maybe it has the longest duct run or the most elbows and turns. Maybe it is over a garage, exposed to more extreme temperatures. In most of these cases, balancing may help. But in extreme situations, such as poorly insulated rooms, or undersized ductwork, then no amount of balancing will fix the problem.
It is important to remember, that every room in the house has its own heating or air conditioning requirements, says the heating and cooling contractor in Sparta. That sunny south facing room needs less heating air than a colder north facing room — but during air conditioning it requires more cooling than that cooler north facing room. That also means that the same furnace fan and same ductwork needs to work differently in the winter than the summer!
Common ductwork limitations
- Incorrectly or poorly-designed ductwork can restrict airflow and reduce system efficiency throughout your house or business;
- Old and leaky ductwork in un-conditioned spaces can further reduce system efficiency;
- Ducts also trap debris and dust which build up over time, also reducing system efficiency and airflow.
What is the best way to balance your ducts?
Many systems have dampers installed on the individual supply runs coming off the main supply trunk. This is either in the basement or attic. They are identified by little metal handles which open, close and adjust a metal damper controlling the amount of air through the duct. By dampening the air-flow here to rooms with too much air, it will send more air to the rooms that need it.
If your system doesn’t have dampers or if they are inaccessible, then dampening and balancing will have to be done at the supply registers themselves. The following list is separated into two levels of difficulty. The blue you can do, leave the red list to the professional heating and cooling ductwork professionals of Sparta:
Professional
⇒ Check for proper insulation
⇒ Check duct dampers
⇒ Check windows
⇒ Check fan speed, possibly boosting to higher speed
⇒ Check for clean blower wheel and coil
⇒ Check for properly sized and installed ductwork
Homeowner
⇒ Check for debris or obstruction in ductwork
⇒ Dirty filter – the cleaner the filter the better the airflow
⇒ Make sure vents are open, including all return vents
⇒ Check for proper damper positions
⇒ Make sure windows are fully closed and in good condition
⇒ Close shades and/or curtains
