Are you looking for a simple project to increase the efficiency of your heater? If so, you should consider adding fiberglass insulation to your exposed ducts. Depending on the design of your home, there could be anywhere from 2 to 200 feet of exposed ducting in your home. These exposed sections are the most vulnerable to heat loss. If you have a lot of exposed ducts in your home, your heating bills will be unnecessarily high. This article explains how to tape and insulate your exposed ducts.
Where to Add Insulation
If you have a basement or attic with exposed air ducts, you will definitely benefit from adding insulation. These rooms are usually much cooler than the rest of the house, because there's less temperature regulation. As a result, you can lose a lot of heat through the aluminum ducting. The furnace is often located in a garage or basement as well. As a result, the vital section of ducting that leads out of the furnace and into your walls is often exposed to very cold air. These are the sections that are most important to add insulation to.
Tape the Duct Seams
Before you add any insulation to your ducts, you should tape the seams. Use aluminum foil tape, instead of normal duct tape, to seal each seam. This is helpful, not only because it prevents air from leaking out, but it also reinforces the ducts and protects them in case they ever get knocked. There will be less risk of a duct getting knocked or nudged loose at the seams after the insulation is added.
Adding Fiberglass Insulation
The best product for insulating your air ducts is fiberglass insulation. This comes in large rolls that you can easily wrap around and tape to the ducts. Make sure you wear gloves, eye protection, and a long sleeve shirt when working with the fiberglass because it can be very itchy if it comes in contact with your skin. The key to insulating your ducts is to be thorough. You can never really add too much insulation or tape. You can use normal duct tape to secure the insulation. The tape won't stick very well to the fiberglass, so you will usually need to double or triple wrap it.
This is a very cheap and affordable way to reduce heat loss through your ducts and increase the efficiency of your furnace.
Share2 February 2017
Hi there, my name is Shelley. Welcome to my site about electric heating systems. Electric heat has recently fallen out of favor due to the efficiency of natural gas systems. Electric heat is still suitable for small buildings that do not need the high temps provided by upgraded systems. I will use this site to explore all of the building types that can benefit from electric heating systems. I will also share information about system components, installations and repairs. I welcome you to come by often to learn more about this exciting topic. Thanks for coming by. See you soon.