Looking at the cooling side only the additional load would be.
Insulating hvac ducts in attic.
According to rightsuite the software we use the supply ducts have about 560 square feet of surface area and the return ducts 101 square feet.
Duct insulation keeps air that s supposed to be cool cool and air that s supposed to be warm warm.
First consider the duct location.
When hvac ducts are installed in a vented attic in a dry climate bury the ducts in attic insulation to protect them from temperature extremes in the unconditioned attic space.
Insulating hvac ductwork when insulating hvac ductwork use a foil faced fiberglass insulation with an r 6 or higher r value.
Install ductwork so that it is in direct contact with i e laying on the ceiling and or truss lower cords.
This of course is a good thing.
All the ducts are in the attic.
In addition to making the unit hard to get to for service high attic heat can trigger the.
If your ducts aren t insulated you re probably paying way more than you should to cool and heat your home.
Most attic ducts are insulated flex ducts that is flex ducts with r 6 or r 8 fiberglass insulation along with an exterior polyethylene jacket.
Let s look for constantly improving methods through sharing.
R 8 duct insulation 5 227 btu hour.
Make sure the foil surface of the insulation is free of dust before applying the tape.
Secure the insulation with short strips of foil tape.
Purchase duct wrap insulation that complies with the 2009 international energy conservation code iecc standards that specify an r value of 8.
The duct insulation should include a vapor barrier cover.
To install preformed duct insulation start by disconnecting an elbow to expose the end of the duct.
When these ducts are exposed to exterior air the plastic jacket never gets cold enough to permit condensation because the hot attic air keeps the plastic jacket warm.
Repeat to insulate the remaining ducts.
Look for signs of air leaks at seams or joints such.
Insulated ducts have been the standard for decades now.
Put it in an attic full of blown insulation and you re forcing it to work harder to vent its heat.
Use metal flex or fiber board ducts that are insulated to code.
No building inspector worth his or her salt is going to let any builder or hvac contractor get away with installing ducts that aren t insulated.
The greater the temperature extreme between the air inside the duct and the air surrounding the ductwork the greater your need for duct insulation.
Unfortunately so many houses especially newer homes end up with ductwork running through the attic.
Putting a furnace in an attic is not ideal but will happen.
Inspect the span of ductwork to be insulated.
Snap a plastic cap onto the duct end then slip the preformed insulation over the duct.
Hvac ducts should be buried under insulation hard covered too.
