Ducts are an essential part of any home, connecting rooms and carrying air to them. The trunk is the main duct and the starting point of the duct system, and duct transitions are specialized connectors that connect the trunk to the pipes. Every home is different, so there is no single way to install a duct system in a home. There are four common air duct designs.
Radial or Plenum Duct System
- Radial systems have the air conditioning unit and the return grill in the center of the house, and the supply ducts extend around the chamber like the legs of a spider.Extended and Reduced Distribution Chamber System
- As the name suggests, the pressure chamber reduces in size as it extends and the air ducts come out on both sides.Extended Pressure Chamber System
- The chamber, which distributes or extracts air for the air conditioning unit, does not reduce its size as it is extended.Perimeter Circuit System - A radial system, not as many spider legs, with a supply duct surrounding the building. The duct provides fresh air and humidification to your home.It filters and purifies air inside your home and expels it outside, replacing it with new, fresh air. To understand how this works, let's look at some basic concepts of forced air duct systems and how they are sized. Manual D takes the equivalent duct length of each component and adds it up to obtain TEL (total equivalent duct length). To maintain and repair different types of ductwork installed in your home, contact Jackson & Sons. The Department of Energy estimates that the average home's ducts lose about 20 percent of the hot or cold air they carry. Good HVAC contractors calculate airflow, determine the types of ducts they must use to meet house requirements, and outline the air distribution system to properly position equipment and size ducts.
Your home's ductwork system is divided into two separate halves and usually incorporates different types of ductwork.
Ductoe
- A poorly designed radial system with air ducts leaving the chamber in all directions, like the tentacles of an octopus. In spaces without air conditioning, such as attics and mezzanines, the recommended level of insulation for air ducts is R-8.Galvanized steel or aluminum air ducts can be round, oval or rectangular. Expiration dates vary: metal ducts tend to last longer than flexible ducts because the metal is stiffer and its surface allows air to slide, unlike the coil that surrounds flexible ducts. When there is a change in air direction in a duct, it takes approximately 24 inches for airflow to restore its pattern. As an expert in HVAC systems, I can tell you that understanding how main ducts work in your home is essential for proper maintenance and repair. The four common types of main duct systems are radial or plenum systems, extended and reduced distribution chamber systems, extended pressure chamber systems, and perimeter circuit systems.Each type has its own advantages and disadvantages depending on your home's layout. Additionally, manual D calculations are used to determine total equivalent length (TEL) for each component in order to properly size your main ducts. It's also important to note that metal main ducts tend to last longer than flexible ones due to their sturdiness.
