In fact, it is often the duct system attached to the equipment that is causing the problem. Performance-Based Contractors’ are trained to verify equipment is sized correctly for the home and conduct static pressure tests to show customers that oftentimes the equipment isn’t the culprit. The truth is, until the system is examined and tested, no one has any idea what the problem might be. The customer calls a contractor and tells the customer service representative, ‘I’m thinking about replacing my HVAC system, when can you come over?’ A comfort advisor shows up promptly and the homeowner says,’ I was talking to my neighbor and they had a bigger unit installed. Typically, customers believe comfort/air issues are an equipment problem. If that doesn’t do it, we’ll increase the fan speed if possible.’ĭon’t laugh, a lot of us are guilty of having done this – even me. Then he says something like, ‘All we have to do is add another outlet in this room or maybe a return. Then, when a contractor is confronted with an airflow issue by the customer, he takes out his trusty Handometer, holds it over the register in question and agrees with the customer. This assumption can lead to ductwork going untouched for decades. They also assume that the HVAC equipment is producing and delivering the “correct amount of air” to the duct system. Many contractors assume the duct system is sized and installed correctly according to the local code. This development was not common 20 years ago. ![]() Currently, local jurisdictions may require a Manual J, Building Heat Loss/Heat Gain calculation, and sometimes a Manual D, Duct System Design drawing. ![]() Most HVAC contractors, depending on their geographical location, have a standard duct system type they use when installing equipment - usually during the initial new construction phase. This article details a common rule-of-thumb based on the physics of air movement in a duct system that has all but been forgotten. Sometimes our industry spends more time focused on equipment than on how to deliver comfort into living spaces efficiently.
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