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Sealed and Insulated Metal Ducts

Guide describing how to air seal and insulate metal ducts.

Sealed and Insulated Flex Ducts

Guide describing how to air seal and insulate flex ducts.

Sealed and Insulated Fiber Board Ducts

Guide describing how to air seal and insulate fiber board ducts.

Pull the insulation and outer liner of the flex duct over the collar to come in full contact with the liner and insulation of the trunk line or fitting and tape in place

Right – An insulated space is provided in the home’s attic to house the HVAC equipment.

Publication Date

Mon, 09/30/2019 - 12:00

Seal all joints and seams in the metal ductwork with mastic before installing insulation

A nylon draw band and tensioning tool are used to secure the inner coil of the pre-insulated flexible duct

Publication Date

Wed, 11/21/2012 - 12:00

A nylon draw band and tensioning tool are used to secure the inner liner of the pre-insulated flexible duct

When wrapping metal ducts with insulation allow two inches of overlap and staple along the seam with outward clinching staples

If HVAC duct must be installed in an exterior wall, separate it from the exterior with at least R-6 of continuous rigid insulation

To attach the flex duct to a main trunk duct or any other connection, the flex duct is pulled over the connecting collar at least 2 inches past the raised bead, then the insulation is pulled back

The mechanical room in the insulated basement houses the water heating equipment, including the storage tank for the solar thermal system and the wall-hung boiler as well as the air handler for the hydro coil and high-efficiency (16 SEER) air conditioner.

Right - The precast insulated concrete walls of the basement provide a conditioned space for the high-efficiency (18 SEER, 9.5 HSPF) air-source heat pump, with its variable-speed fan, five-stage compressor, and MERV 11 filter.

Support at Intervals for Flex Ducts

Guide describing how to hang ducts with supporting straps or saddles to adequately support ducts so they do not sag and are not pinched or compressed in a manner that would cause damage to the ducts, the duct insulation, or the duct air barrier covering.

Sufficient Cavity Space for Flex Ducts

This measure guide describes how to correctly install ducts, ensuring enough cavity space to avoid compression.

HVAC Ducts Shall Not Be Run within Exterior Walls

Guide describing the use of building cavities as supply or return ducts.

Show Home Targets Energy Efficiency in Hot-Humid Climates

Author(s)

U.S. Department of Energy

Organization(s)

DOE

Publication Date

November, 2004

Case study describing the New American Home project.

Builders Challenge High Performance Builder Spotlight: Ferrier Custom Homes, Dallas, Texas

Author(s)

U.S. Department of Energy

Organization(s)

DOE

Publication Date

October, 2009

Case study describing a building project in hot-dry and mixed-dry climates.

The New American Home 2011 Orlando, Florida

Author(s)

IBACOS,

National Renewable Energy Laboratory

Organization(s)

IBACOS,

NREL

Publication Date

December, 2010

Case study describing innovative technologies, construction techniques, products, and design trends in new home construction.

Existing Whole-House Solutions Case Study: Green Home Solutions by Grupe, Lodi, California

Author(s)

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

Organization(s)

PNNL

Publication Date

September, 2009

Case study describing a retrofit project in the hot-dry and mixed-dry climate zones.

New Whole-House Solutions Case Study: Lancaster Live/Work Townhome Prototype

Author(s)

Building Science Corporation

Organization(s)

BSC

Publication Date

April, 2010

Case study describing a building project in the marine climate.

No Excessive Coiled or Looped Flex Ducts

Guide outlining how to correctly install flex ducts without excessive coils or loops.

No Kinks or Sharp Bends in Flex Duct Installation

Guide outlining how to correctly install flex ducts without kinks or sharp bends.

Assembled section of fiber board duct

Publication Date

Fri, 01/11/2013 - 12:00

Use only Underwriters Laboratory UL-181 approved tape

The tape is covered with mastic to ensure an airtight seal between the duct and the fitting

Fiber board sheets are available with pre-cut shiplapped ends

After securing the inner coil, cover the draw band and the seam with a generous amount of mastic

Collars that are specifically made for flexible duct have a raised bead to prevent the duct from slipping off

Fiberglass duct board typically comes in sheets 4 foot wide by 10 foot long

Two pieces of flex duct are spliced together with a metal sleeve, nylon draw bands, mastic, metal tape, and more mastic

Seal seams in fiber board ducts with out-clinching staples, UL-181A-approved tape, and mastic

Hand tools for cutting fiber board sheets include a knife, straight edge, and color-coded edge-cutting tools

Existing Whole-House Solutions Case Study: Habitat for Humanity of Palm Beach County, Lake Worth, Florida

Author(s)

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

Organization(s)

PNNL

Publication Date

January, 2012

Case study describing an energy efficient retrofit project in hot-humid climates.

No Ducts or Air Handlers Located in Garage

Guide describing how to design HVAC systems to be located within the conditioned space of the home, either in a utility closet or in an air sealed conditioned attic, basement, or crawl space.

Cut fiber board with a red V-groove tool and a gray shiplap tool to create mitered corners and a shiplapped edge for duct sections

New Whole-House Solutions Case Study: Pine Mountain Builders, Pine Mountain, Georgia

Author(s)

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

Organization(s)

PNNL

Publication Date

January, 2013

Case study describing a builder in Georgia that designs energy-efficient homes for a green community, yielding homes with HERS scores as lowas 59 and electric bills as low as $50 a month.

Approaching "Zero Energy" in the Pacific Northwest Marine Climate

Author(s)

Fuess Chris,

Gordon Andrew,

Lubliner Michael

Organization(s)

Oak Ridge National Laboratory,

ORNL

Publication Date

February, 2009

Report about a building project in the marine climate.

Building Cavities Not Used as Supply or Return Ducts

Guide describing the use of building cavities as supply or return ducts.

Measure Guideline: Buried and/or Encapsulated Ducts

Author(s)

Mantha Pallavi,

Zoeller William,

Shapiro Carl

Organization(s)

U.S. Department of Energy,

DOE

Publication Date

August, 2013

Project discussing buried or encapsulated ducts and their pros and cons.

Transformations, Inc.: Partnering To Build Net-Zero Energy Houses in Massachusetts

Author(s)

Ueno Kohta,

Bergey Daniel,

Wytrykowska Honorata

Organization(s)

Building Science Corporation,

BSC

Publication Date

September, 2013

Report about partnership to build three communities of net zero houses.

Energy Savings and Breakeven Costs for Residential Heat Pump Water Heaters in the United States

Author(s)

Maguire Jeff,

Burch Jay,

Merrigan Tim,

Ong Sean

Organization(s)

National Renewable Energy Laboratory,

NREL

Publication Date

July, 2013

Report investigating performance and energy savings potential of heat pump water heaters.

Strategies for Energy Efficient Remodeling: SEER 2003 Case Study Report

Author(s)

Drumheller S Craig,

Wiehagen Joseph

Organization(s)

NAHB Research Center,

National Renewable Energy Laboratory,

NREL

Publication Date

November, 2004

Report providing information based on research and case studies, to remodelers and consumers about opportunities to increase home energy performance.

Building America Case Study Technology Solutions for Existing Homes: Concord Four Square Retrofit

Author(s)

Building Science Corporation

Organization(s)

BSC

Publication Date

January, 2012

Case study describing a four-square Concord home retrofitted by Building Science Corporation in Massachusetts.

Technology Solutions Case Study: Sealed Air-Return Plenum Retrofit

Author(s)

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

Organization(s)

PNNL

Publication Date

August, 2012

Case study describing the retrofit of a leaky air handler.

Jump Ducts

Guide describing how to install jump ducts in bedroom walls to balance air pressures between rooms, enabling constant air flow for conditioning and freshness even when room doors are closed.

Creating a Cool Room for Extreme Heat Events

Guide describing how to create a designated shelter-from-heat space in a home to help occupants successfully weather an extreme heat event.

DOE ZERH HIA 2014 Case Study: M Street Homes, Smartlux on Greenpark Houston, TX

Author(s)

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory,

U.S. Department of Energy

Organization(s)

PNNL,

DOE

Publication Date

September, 2014

Case study describing a DOE Zero Energy Ready Home 2014 Housing Innovation Award winner that scored HERS 45 without PV and 32 with PV and is the first home in the world to use a tri-generation system to supply electricity, heating, and cooling on site.