How to Repair Damaged Insulation on Ducted Heating Systems

Blog

Ducted heating systems use ducts to transport warm air through your home. These ducts pass through unheated parts of the home, such as the basement, crawl space, and attic. Insulation wrapped around each duct prevents heat from leaking into these spaces and being wasted. When insulation becomes damaged, the efficiency of the ducted heating system dramatically drops. Here are a few steps you can take to repair your damaged duct insulation.

1. Check for Damage to the Duct

Before you repair the insulation, take the time to check the duct itself for damage. If there is a tear in the duct, a small stream of hot air will leak out, which you should be able to feel with your hand.

2. Repair the Duct

If you found a hole in the duct, the next step is to shut off the heating system and carry out a repair. Cover the damaged part of the duct with foil tape. The piece of tape you use should be larger than the size of the hole so you can press it down onto the intact section of the duct to get a good seal.

3. Strengthen the Duct Repair

Next, use a paintbrush to apply duct mastic over the top of the tape to strengthen the repair. Let this layer dry before moving onto repairing the insulation.

4. Add Insulation

Once the mastic is dry, replace damaged insulation with new fiberglass insulation. The new insulation should be at least as thick as the insulation that was there before. Tape the insulation in place using a generous amount of foil tape. Wear gloves and a mask to prevent particles from the fiberglass from irritating your skin or airways.

5. Reinforce the Insulation Repair

To make your repair more durable, apply duct mastic over the tape. Use plenty of mastic to get a strong repair that will last. Wait for the mastic to dry before you turn the heating back on.

6. Get Professional Help if Necessary

If you are not confident carrying out a repair to your own ducted heating system, contact an HVAC professional for help. You might also need to call out an HVAC service if you cannot locate the damage to the ducts or insulation. HVAC leak detection services use specialist heat-detecting equipment to quickly home in on the source of the damage. They can then carry out a professional repair.

For more information on ducted heating, contact an HVAC contractor.

Share  

10 October 2019

Heating and Cooling Your Home: A Guide

Howdy! I'm Hank and I am writing this blog so I can give you the lowdown on the cheapest and most effective ways you can heat or cool your home. I'm not a trained HVAC contractor but my brother is. Last year, I called up my brother and asked him to drive over and install a new HVAC system in my property. The old system wasn't cooling or warming my house and it was making a strange noise. During the installation, my brother gave me lots of great advice and explained exactly what he was doing at each step. I hope you find this information useful.