1. Install insulated ducts that have a minimum of R-8 duct insulation and in integral vapor barrier. 3. Is it also acceptable to bury that older style grey duct work (the stuff that falls apart when exposed to sunlight)? FREE Shipping by Amazon. Properly fasten and seal ducts at all connections. 5. Joints and seams shall comply with either the International Mechanical Code or International Residential Code, as applicable. 2. Insulated Flexible Duct R6 Silver Jacket is used in standard Heating and Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems and some venting … Please see the ENERGY STAR Certified Homes Implementation Timeline for the program version and revision currently applicable in in your state. Additions, alterations, renovations, or repairs shall conform to the provisions of this code, without requiring the unaltered portions of the existing building to comply with this code. Supply and return ducts in other portions of the building shall be insulated to a minimum of R-6 where 3 inches (76 millimeters) in diameter or greater and R-4.2 where less than 3 inches (76 millimeters) in diameter. How to Install Buried Ducts before the Ceiling Is in Place. Install loose-fill insulation to cover the ducts and the attic floor to meet or exceed the code-required R value for attic insulation. In Dry climates (all “B” Zones per 2015 IECC Figure R301.1), minimum R-8 duct insulation; duct leakage to outdoors ≤ 3 CFM25 per 100 ft2 of conditioned floor area (in addition to meeting total duct leakage requirements from Section 4.1 of the ENERGY STAR HVAC Rater checklist); and ductwork buried under at least 3.5” of blown-in insulation. So more would … Mechanically fasten and mastic-seal all duct connections. Right: Ducts are completely buried beneath insulation to the depth specified in the plans, Wrong: Ducts are not laid across the lower truss cords or ceiling, but are hung from the rafters by straps. Footnote 35) Item 6.3 does not apply to ducts that are a part of local mechanical exhaust and exhaust-only whole-house ventilation systems. The Residential ACM Manual states that ducts shall have a minimum insulation value of R-4.2 prior to burial. Wrong- A tie strap should not be used over the duct outer liner because it can compress the insulation. is it acceptable to bury flex duct (running along the floor joists in an unconditioned attic) in a large amount (8″-10″) of fiberglass insulation? All duct connections should be mechanically fastened and mastic-sealed. Where a duct connection is made that is partially inaccessible, three screws or rivets shall be equally spaced on the exposed portion of the joint so as to prevent a hinge effect. In existing homes with vented attics and HVAC ducts that are installed on the attic floor, bury ducts in blown attic insulation when adding or increasing attic insulation. The ductwork should be installed so that it is in direct contact with the ceiling and/or truss lower cords. Install the ductwork in accordance with a low-profile compact duct design (Figure 3). In the example given, for the best results we recommend first insulating the lower surface of the duct, then … Install ductwork across lower truss cords or rafters. The bonus question: Does burying these ducts actually result in significant energy savings? Figure 1 shows a duct that is partially, fully, or deeply buried in blown attic insulation. The duct jacket is still fully visible at sections of the duct. While we continually update our database, links may have changed since posting. Footnote 14) Exceptions and alternative compliance paths to locating 100% of forced-air ducts in home’s thermal and air barrier boundary are: 2009 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC)  /  2009 International Residential Code (IRC). IECC R403.2/IRC N1103.2 Ducts. The insulation levels should meet or exceed the code-required R value for attic insulation. x 25 ft. Microlite® FSK Formaldehyde-free™ duct wrap offers superior thermal performance and condensation control in a lightweight, blanket-type insulation with an FSK facing. Case study on a DOE Building America 2013 top innovation describing research by the Consortium for Advanced Residential Buildings (CARB), a Building America research team led by Steven Winter Associates, on HVAC ducts located in vented attics that are encapsulated in foam and buried in attic... Case study exploring how using buried and/or encapsulated ducts can reduce duct thermal losses in existing homes. Is it worth it to upgrade flex duct insulation if all ductwork will be buried in cellulose anyway? Polyguard's Mechanical Products Division specializes in self-adhering peel and stick flexible weatherproof claddings for duct, pipe and vessel applications; both rubberized bitumen (self-healing) … 6. 76. $127.76 $ 127. Insulating the ducts with 3-4" of open cell foam or 2" of closed cell (as Martin recommends) would work without the condensation risk, at which point you can bury it all in any fiber you like. The duct insulation should include If you need to bury the ducts in insulation, the only safe way to do it is to first install a 2-inch layer of closed-cell spray foam on … Get it as soon as Thu, Jan 14. Where ducts are running parallel to ceiling framing, provide temporary blocking to hang ducts approximately 2 inches above the ceiling plane to allow for the thickness of the spray foam. Exhibit 1 Mandatory Requirements. I have found that the insulation wrapped around the flex duct airway and covered by an outer plastic covering is fully saturated with water causing the flex duct to sag between the supports. Please contact our webmaster if you find broken links. Ducts are located in a basement which is within the home’s thermal boundary. The best way to address poorly insulated attic ducts is to replace older flex duct with newer flex duct with a higher R-value (at least R-8). The total leakage shall be less than or equal to 4 cfm per (113.3 L/min) per 100 ft. Systems which meet the criteria for “Ducts Located in Conditioned Space” as defined by the 2018 IECC Section R403.3.7. Install ceiling gypsum board prior to installing buried ducts (Figure 2). You would have to build duct chases inside walls, and add insulation around ducts … If there is no retrofit-specific information for a section, that heading is not included. 98 … Comfort systems installed in vented attics work much better when they are buried in insulation. A strap around a duct compressing the insulation, for example, reduces the R-value at the strap. The ducts should be covered with R-8 or higher duct insulation and the duct insulation should include a vapor barrier cover. Test total duct leakage with a duct blaster to ensure that the ducts have been adequately sealed (total duct leakage < 3 cfm25 per 100 ft2 of conditioned space) (Figure 5). IECC R403.2.2/IRC N1103.2.2 Sealing (Mandatory). or excess flex duct; disconnected or leaking ducts. IECC R403.2.1/IRC N1103.2.1 Insulation (Prescriptive). With open cell you have very modest risk of accumulating a small amount moisture in the foam over the course of several weeks of killer-humid-heat, with a temporary reduction in effective-R value, but it gives the moisture back up pretty quickly over the following weeks without a permanent loss of thermal performance. Install ceiling gypsum board after installing ducts. See the Compliance Tab for related codes and standards requirements, and criteria to meet national programs such as DOE’s Zero Energy Ready Home program, ENERGY STAR Certified Homes, and Indoor airPLUS. Ducts shall be pressure tested to determine air leakage by one of the following methods: A duct air leakage test shall not be required where the ducts and air handlers are located entirely within the building thermal envelope. For more information, view the U.S. Department of Energy’s Standard Work Specifications regarding ducts. So, go to the attic and do that. Use metal, flex, or fiber board ducts that are insulated to code. 1. In some cases, the insulation is flex board, which itself is the pipe or duct. I was worried that I'd go to a lot of effort but actually create a problem that's hard to locate and hard to fix, a downside risk I didn't want. Air-impermeable spray foam products shall be permitted to be applied without additional joint seals. Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy | Supply and return ducts in attics shall be insulated to a minimum of R-8 where 3 inches (76 millimeters) in diameter and greater and R-6 where less than 3 inches (76 millimeters) in diameter. My location (if that matters) is Dallas, TX. This would either be built from taped rigid foam or taped drywall/plywood on 2x2 screwed into the joists and foam sealed to the ceiling, then fur out on top and sides of that to place rock wool batts (which are nicely friction fixable (I've used them) and will stay on the sides as well as the top, probably using the 2x8 size for R30. The current plan, delayed until it's cool enough to work in the attic, is to "fur up" over my ducts, creating an air-tight tunnel through which they flow. Ducts are located within an unvented crawl space. The Master Flow 8 in. Test total duct leakage. The following authors and organizations contributed to the content in this Guide. 6. Exceptions [In 2015 IECC/IRC only; these exceptions were not included in the 2018 IECC/IRC.). Other best-practice measures, which assist in achieving the desired low-profile layout, should be incorporated into the building, including compact HVAC distribution and right-sized HVAC sizing. Try aluminum tape or zip ties to fasten the insulation… Pull insulation and outer liner over the joint and seal to attached duct or boot with mastic or foil tape. If the ducts must be located within a vented attic, one option for protecting the ducts and helping to minimize heat transfer between ducts and the unconditioned attic is to lay the ducts on the attic floor and cover them with the same blown insulation that is used to cover the attic floor. Probe through the insulation to make sure the duct itself is not damaged. The ducts need to be tightly sealed to ensure optimum performance. Add additional sealant if necessary. Deeply burying the ducts in the attic's insulation provides significant protection from these harsh conditions. This technique fulfills the DOE Zero Energy Ready Home program requirement that ducts be installed in conditioned space. If ducts are hung in attic rather than laying on the attic floor, see the guide Encapsulated Ducts. Either configuration will work, giving the designer the flexibility to select whichever method works best for a particular circumstance. Owens Corning EcoTouch Insulation for Flexible Duct is a lightweight, flexible, resilient thermal and acoustical insulation made of inorganic glass fibers bonded with a thermosetting resin. The total leakage of the ducts, where measured in accordance with Section R403.3.3, shall be as follows: IECC R403.3.5/IRC N1103.3.5 Building cavities (Mandatory). Retrofit: 2009, 2012, 2015, and 2018 IECC, Section R101.4.3 (Section R501.1.1 in 2015 and 2018 IECC). [Because the ducts will be installed outside the building thermal envelope, this exception would not apply.]. This tab is organized with headings that mirror the new home tabs, such as “Scope,” “Description,” “Success,” etc. With as much fiberglass as you want insulation again DOE building America Team... N'T want to end up with the ceiling drywall retrofit: 2009, 2012, 2015, 2018. 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covering flex duct with insulation

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