Adding Insulation To Attic Ductwork

The 1 800 square foot brick ranch in climate zone 4 dates from the 1960s but the previous owner installed both a furnace and ductwork in the attic just four years ago.

Adding insulation to attic ductwork.

The problem with uninsulated ducts. The duct insulation should include a vapor barrier cover. Consider adding more insulation as ductwork is farther from the furnace. I have a single level home with big open attic it has blown insulation and very narrow crawl space but my furnace electric has the single return air duct running about 4 feet from furnace it is in lowered ceiling from bathroom to kitchen my question is can i use a flexible hvac pipe duct an d run a network to living room and two bedrooms.

Ted has more than a few cobwebs in his attic. Pull down stair or ladder. Attic hatch or door. Apply a long strip of foil tape along the seam in the insulation.

One of the most effective ways to convert your attic space into a spare bedroom is to remove the insulation from the floor and add insulation to the attic ceiling. If you want to cover metal ductwork. Test total duct leakage. Wrap the insulation around the duct and then pinch the seam closed.

Add weatherstripping around the perimeter and a sweep to the door of a walk up attic. Secure the insulation with short strips of foil tape. Repeat to insulate the remaining ducts. When it comes to adding duct insulation your monthly savings in utility bills will soon cover the costs especially if you install the insulation yourself.

To install preformed duct insulation start by disconnecting an elbow to expose the end of the duct. In many homes the insulation layer in the attic is along the floor. In a vented attic this can happen when the duct is in close proximity to conditioned space i e the ceiling and also thermally isolated from the hot attic beneath the ceiling insulation. You need insulation even around your ducts no matter where you live.

The unconditioned space also houses his hvac system. If it s uninsulated you should insulated it to at least r 4 to r 8 for dfw. Insulation isn t only about keeping heat in. If it is less than an equivalent of r 30 you could probably benefit by adding more.

Affix rigid foam insulation to the attic side of the hatch or door. Before insulating seal any air leaks and make roof and other necessary repairs. The cost and effort to add more insulation is minimal. This isolates the attic from the rest of the home which means the attic isn t part of the conditioned envelope.

To find out if you have enough attic insulation measure the thickness of the insulation. If your rigid metal ductwork has any insulation it may already have enough. Install loose fill insulation to cover the ducts and the attic floor to meet or exceed the code required r value for attic insulation. Mechanically fasten and mastic seal all duct connections.