How Custom Ductwork Can Help Your Heating System Function Better

1. How Custom Ductwork Can Help Your Heating System Function Better One of the most important pieces of a home’s HVAC system rarely gets the attention it deserves: the ductwork. Running throughout the home, the ductwork ensures that the warm air gets where it needs to go, at the intended temperature, operating steadfastly behind the scenes. For most homeowners, they don’t think about the ductwork until an issue arises. But for those looking for ways to maximize the potential of their HVAC system, boosting the overall performance and efficiency, then the ductwork is a solid place for homeowners to start taking a look, and adding custom fitted ductwork would be the upgrade to acquire. Fits like a Glove The primary purpose of installing custom ductwork is that it is fabricated for the exact layout of the home it is installed in. Rather than a one-size-fits-most installation that comes in most homes, custom ductwork will be optimized to the curves and contours that run within the walls of the home. This means the ducts can be run in more straight lines, with tighter fits, to provide a more direct route for airflow, increasing energy efficiency. This also means that the ducts will be correctly sized to the home’s furnace. Rather than ducts that are too large or small, custom- sized ductwork allows the furnace to run in a more optimized manner, rather than working harder than necessary to accommodate for poor airflow. Cleaner Air for a Cleaner Home The straighter pathways provided by custom ducts help increase air quality by cutting down on the spaces — such as curves, seams, turns, and connectors — where dust and debris can gather in the ducts. This means fewer airborne allergens, pet dander, mold spores, and bacteria floating through the home, and less dust and debris to settle on surfaces. While it won’t completely eliminate the need to clean the ducts — that should still be a regularly scheduled occurrence — it should cut down on the frequency and the length of time the cleaning actually takes. Eliminate Leakages and Plan for the Future Replacing older, standard ductwork means eliminating connectors and sections that may be suffering from air leaks. When the ducts are not designed with each section mindfully connecting to the next section, there is a strong likelihood of faulty connections between pieces. In areas that are not precisely aligned or properly fitted, air leaks will both cause the temperature to fall out of alignment between rooms, creating colder and warmer pockets, and also cause the furnace to run harder than necessary, increasing wear-and-tear on the system, and requiring more maintenance. Custom ducts are also a way to plan ahead for future renovations or expansions. When installing or heavily renovating a new space, the improved layout consideration of a home’s custom ductwork allows it to be built-out more easily, saving headaches in the long run during renovation planning.

2. While homeowners may not be watching over it every day, and honestly, probably won’t be seeing much of it at all, the quality of life improvement provided from custom ductwork means it’s better to think about it now than to ignore it all together. If you are considering a replacement of your home’s ducts, or if you have questions about how to go about building out custom ductwork for your home, reach out to the professionals at Duane Blanton Family Home Services. With over 30 years of HVAC experience, the technicians at Duane Blanton will be able to help guide you through the ins and outs of your home ducts, and recommend the best course of action to take if you’re considering repairing, replacing, or upgrading your home’s ducts. Schedule an appointment with Duane Blanton Family Home Services today, via phone at (847) 855-0075, or conveniently online with their online scheduling portal!