With winter coming soon, you want to be sure that your entire HVAC system is working as efficiently as possible. And that means not only should your heating equipment be performing optimally, but so should your ductwork.
Your home's ductwork is responsible for distributing warm air to all the corners of your home, and if you are experiencing any issues, such as insufficient heat in certain areas of your home, or you suspect that you have leaks, these issues may be due to poor ductwork design.
Your ductwork design should enable air to enter your living areas from the supply vents, and then circulate through your home to the return vents. When this airflow is optimal, you should feel as if your home is reaching your desired temperature quickly and consistently. This means that your system is working efficiently, which helps keep your energy costs down and can help to extend the lifespan of your heating equipment.
If the HVAC contractor who originally installed your ductwork didn’t perform a heating load calculation, there is no way your ductwork is tailored specifically to your home’s heating needs. When designing ductwork, this calculation tells the HVAC specialist how much energy each part of your home requires to be properly heated or cooled.
This is a crucial process, because some areas need more conditioned air sent to them, and this calculation is the only way to determine how much each area should get. For example, areas that receive more sunlight during the day will need less warm air during the heating season. Therefore, the ducts that lead to this part of your home can then be smaller, since not as much air needs to flow through them.
Additionally, your ductwork's design is important, but even the best design will not work if your ductwork is installed improperly. The connections between ducts need to be airtight and strongly secured to keep air from escaping for years to come.
To learn more about designing ductwork and the benefits that you will receive by improving yours, both in comfort and financially, contact Joe Behr Plumbing and Heating today. We have proudly served the Mid-Ohio area since 1965.
Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information, visit our website.
Joe Behr Plumbing and Heating, Inc. services the Mid-Ohio area.
