Ducts are cylindrical pipelike objects that transmit air in air-conditioners or heaters. They can be thought of as the veins of a centralized heating or air conditioning systems. An essential factor in any heating or cooling system is indoor air quality, which depends on quality HVAC ducting systems. The HVAC ducts are designed to keep the interior air clean and maintain a constant air-pressure with minimal pressure loss. A complex system of interconnected HVAC ducts that maintains and regulates air-quality and temperature while ensuring ventilation is known as ductwork.
Choosing the right duct diameter
HVAC ducts come in various diameters. Its diameter ranges from six inches and goes up to forty inches. The correct diameter choice largely depends on the type of building for which ductwork is being performed. For residential HVAC systems where the volume of airflow needed is low, a mere six-inch diameter to eight-inch diameter is sufficient for the HVAC system. However, for large-scale industrial HVAC systems, the air-volume is high and will require thirty-inch to forty-inch diameter ducting systems. Hence, the use-case of the ducting system must be ascertained before making a ducting choice.
Duct layers and its importance
In an HVAC system, a common problem is air leakage, causing loss of ventilation of circulated air and loss of air pressure in a closed surface. Hence, to counter this problem, HVAC ducts have a layering system on their surface that completely prevents air-loss, leakage, tears, and cuts. The layering can come in the form of two-level, three-level, and four-level layers. It is always recommended to choose HVAC ducts with four-level layering for all ductwork purposes.
Choosing the right material for ductwork
HVAC ducts come in many materials like aluminum and steel. The most commonly used HVAC duct is the galvanized steel ducts for their sturdiness and long life. Aluminum is also widely used, but it can rust, which reduces its life, and the rust components mixing with air can sometimes be harmful when inhaled. Hence, the recommended material is galvanized steel.
Waterproofing air ducts
Another essential feature of any form of ducting is waterproofing. If the ducting structure is not waterproof, the water can disrupt the airflow and mix with the other components, damaging the centralized HVAC system. Galvanized ducts are coated with aluminum or zinc alloy to render them waterproof. Hence, ideally, these coated steel ducts must be used in an HVAC system.
Categories Simillar to HVAC Ducting includes Furnace Humidifiers