Installing Home HVAC Ducts
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About the System
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An HVAC system is not as simple as it sounds. To properly install home HVAC ducts, you do need to perform some calculations to figure out what size duct you will need. If you don't already have this information handy, then you will need to hire a contractor to do it for you. The calculations involve measuring the size of the rooms, the A/C or heating unit, insulating properties of the home or its heat retention and many other factors.
Installing of Metal Ducts
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Metal HVAC ducts are the most common. They are rigid ducts that are installed in the ceiling or floor. The ducts are usually installed along the joists until the ducts need to make a turn to go into a room. Then a slot needs to be cut in the joists in order to route the ductwork through them. The ducts themselves are installed with metal strips that wrap around the ducts and are screwed into the joists. Elbow joints are used to make the rigid ducts "turn" at a right angle or 45-degree angle.
Installing Flexible Ducts
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Flexible ducts are round tubing with a layer of insulation and a sleeve of high density plastic or a metalized material. They can bend around a corner so installing them can be a little easier than rigid ducts. These flexible ducts are typically installed in modern homes and sometimes used in attic A/C units. The ducts are routed from the A/C to rigid ducts in some cases. They do need to be routed in a specific way and can not bend past a certain point because it prohibits airflow.
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