How to Work With Duct
Duct work is usually made out of galvanized sheet metal and it is the "highway" for your heated and cooled air to get from your HVAC unit into your home. A lot of people are unfamiliar working with duct and usually let HVAC technicians do the work. However, it is actually not that hard to work with duct. A typical homeowner with some home improvement skills can succeed in doing their own duct work. You may have to buy some specialty tools from your local home improvement store, but the investment is well worth the money if you plan on doing a lot of HVAC work. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Sheet metal ducting
- Sheet metal duct fittings
- Sheet metal screws
- Cordless drill
- Tape measure
- Screwdriver
- Aviation snips
- Pipe crimper
- Level
- 1 inch galvanized hanger strap
- Work gloves
Instructions
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1
Snap your duct work together. Duct work comes unsnapped together for storage reasons. Start at one end and insert the male end of the seam into the female end. Slowly work it together and when you get almost to the end it should finish snapping together itself.
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2
Connect the lengths of duct together by sliding the non-crimped end of one piece over the crimped end of the other piece. It will slide over the crimp approximately 1 1/2 inches.
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3
Screw the two pieces of duct together with four sheet metal screws. Use one screw per side so that they are evenly spaced around the duct joint.
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4
Support the duct from the ceiling by taking a piece of 1 inch galvanized hanger strap and screwing one end to a ceiling joist. Wrap the hanger strap around the duct and screw the other end to the ceiling joist. Your hanger will look like the letter "U" and the duct will be supported in the middle of the "U."
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Continue assembling and hanging your duct work until the job is completed. Cut the duct work down to the appropriate size if needed. You can add a crimped end to one end of the cut piece with your pipe crimper.
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Tips & Warnings
Caulk all joints and seams of the duct work to prevent air leakage. Air leakage can contribute to a significant loss in energy efficiency of your HVAC system.
If the female ends of the snaplock seam are pressed together when you are trying to snap the duct together, use a screwdriver to open the seam up slightly so you can insert the male end.
Sheet metal duct work is extremely sharp, so always wear good quality work gloves when handling the duct work. Otherwise you face the risk of serious cuts.
