Insulate Return Ducts In Attic

Install loose fill insulation to cover the ducts and the attic floor to meet or exceed the code required r value for attic insulation.

Insulate return ducts in attic.

First seal the duct seams with mastic. Today s flexible ductwork is covered with a shiny metallic cover this is its vapor barrier. The shiny vapor barrier will protect the ductwork from sweating as long as it s exposed to the surrounding air. If you want to install cut and cobble insulation on your attic ducts.

Make sure that the rigid foam is secure. That has kept the ventilator working but ted surmises the high. All the ducts are in the attic. If you need help deciding which type of insulation you need set up an energy consultation.

Although both the attic floor and the ductwork are insulated ted recognizes the situation isn t ideal. Is it ok to do it. According to rightsuite the software we use the supply ducts have about 560 square feet of surface area and the return ducts 101 square feet. R 8 duct insulation 5 227 btu hour.

Looking at the cooling side only the additional load would be. Some insulation types offer high promises but fail to consistently perform in the field. Or applying spray foam insulation to the outside of the duct. Be careful as you choose from the various insulation options.

Add additional sealant if necessary. Hvac ductwork is typically visible in your attic especially flexible ductwork. Come up with a plan for insulating the underside of the ducts. Summer hasn t even arrived he notes in a post at gba s q a forum and when the temperature outside climbs to more than 95 f the temperature in the attic tops 120 f.

Insulating a leaky or undersized duct system is a waste of money. As you consider adding insulation first be sure the duct system is delivering proper airflow. Purchase duct wrap insulation that complies with the 2009 international energy conservation code iecc standards that specify an r value of 8 for attic ducts and 6 for ducts located anywhere else. The two most common ways to insulate ductwork are wrapping the duct in a foil faced blanket.