Proper ductwork designs ensure the level of air flow that your HVAC system needs to operate efficiently and provide the comfort you want and expect in your renovated space.
- One common ductwork design mistake is undersizing.
Contractors can make the mistake of failing to consider the type of air conditioning system you have, load requirements of different rooms, where ducts and equipment are located, and the materials used to construct them. All of these factors affect the proper sizing of your ducts. Having runs that are too long makes it hard for your HVAC system to move conditioned air to certain areas within the space. When the location of HVAC equipment and duct system is not optimized in the planning phase, the equipment may end up far away from the space to be cooled. Just like the long runs impede airflow, bends in the ductwork that are too sharp or too numerous also decrease the amount of air that actually reaches the space to be cooled. Air conditioned ductwork that is incorrectly sealed or supported can end up leaking cooled air into the walls where it wont do any good to the occupants of your space. A lack of returns also is a common mistake made during the design of AC ductwork. To maintain balanced air pressure and air movement, your duct system needs return vents for air in the room to be pulled back into the HVAC system. Not providing enough returns is a common design flaw that leads to many comfort complaints. If you are concerned that your HVAC installer might not have the expertise to handle your ductwork design, you might want to find a more knowledgeable and experienced provider.