Ducts – Metal and Aluminum

Heating and cooling systems are an essential part of our daily lives. You are probably familiar with room floor or ceiling vents, and metal ducts in your basement, even if you don’t know exactly how they work! Ducts are the passages within these systems that help deliver and remove air. Your laundry room dryer also has a duct – typically made out of flexible aluminum. These are the most common duct materials.

For professional HVAC installers, like the team at A1Kelowna, installation involves planning the right length and size of metal ducts – typically when the house is first built. A light but strong steel is used. This is a meticulous installation process. The sheet metal needs to be precisely measured to fit the dimensions of the HVAC system. The metal is rigid, and preformed bended pieces help when angles of ductwork are needed.

Metal ducts are typically laid out in a main trunk-and-branch design. They directly connect to the furnace, and also to holes cut in the floor or ceiling in each room. The sheet metal is rigid and retains its shape, thereby giving it low air resistance. This helps the furnace run efficiently when supplying air throughout the house.

In the case of connecting a dryer to the outside of a home, a flexible aluminum (sometimes called Alumaflex) duct is ideal. This can be bent when connecting behind your dryer to the wall. This flexibility may sometimes create airflow resistance, making it difficult for air to pass through and reach the outside. They are best when installed under the supervision of experienced technicians.

These ducts are made up of layered, multi-foil insulation material. The outermost layer is made from PET (polyethylene terephthalate) which is fused into a PE (polyethylene) bubble layer. This bubble layer then is put onto a non-woven polypropylene backing. These ducts may be less durable but can be easily and inexpensively replaced in your laundry area if they get damaged. Longevity is the top reason to go for metal ductworks.

A-1 Heating and Air Conditioning has been providing HVAC resolutions to residential and commercial spaces since 2001. Give us a call for a duct or HVAC inspection, new installation, repairs and regular maintenance. We can help in an emergency through our same-day service options.