Spiral duct also requires fewer tools to install - just a drill and some screws. Strong and rigid due to its lock-seam construction, spiral duct needs fewer supporting components such as stiffeners and hangers, cutting both product and labor costs. Consider, for example, the positive impact it can have on the installation process. Easier installationīesides its performance-related features, spiral ductwork offers other advantages that make it a good choice for HVAC systems. By minimizing air leakage, these systems reduce the fan energy required to move air downstream through the duct. Many manufacturers of spiral duct, such as Sheet Metal Connectors Inc., offer special galvanized steel fittings featuring double-legged ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) rubber gaskets (Complete Seal) that virtually eliminate leakage at connection points. By choosing spiral duct, they can meet or exceed the highest industry air-leakage standards-if the right connection and sealing options are also selected. Other undesirable effects of duct leakage include lower indoor air quality and reduced comfort for building occupants.įor these reasons, building designers and specifiers strive to produce airtight HVAC systems. An inefficient duct system can be easy to see if it’s not sealed properly, blowback will build up outside of the ductwork, which is both inefficient and unsightly. Often, engineers will specify HVAC construction systems with larger and more expensive fans to produce the required airflow, simply to compensate for duct leakage. Duct leaks also make fans and other HVAC equipment work harder to maintain the desired building temperatures, increasing energy usage and reducing system efficiency. When ducts leak, HVAC systems require larger and more expensive fans to produce the required airflow. In addition to airflow, duct leakage is a major concern of building designers and owners. By decreasing the drop in air pressure and increasing airflow efficiency, spiral duct allows the use of smaller, less powerful and less expensive air-moving units. In typical spiral duct systems, this pressure drop is less than the one experienced by air flowing through rectangular ductwork. Air leaving an air handler under high pressure drops to lower pressures as it travels through straight ducts, bends and diffusers to its destination. If the system fails to deliver the proper airflow, building occupants will turn temperature settings up or down more than should be necessary to meet their comfort needs, which in turn boosts energy use and costs.Īnother key airflow issue concerns pressure. In buildings, spiral ductwork can be a major asset to an HVAC system, which requires power to drive the fan or blower unit that moves air through the ductwork to various locations in the building. Many of these benefits can be realized further with the use of self-sealing connections such as Complete Seal, or flanged connections such as E-Z Flange. Spiral duct is also relatively inexpensive to install and provides an aesthetic asset once in place. Advantages of spiral duct include efficient air movement and minimal leakage, which can help reduce the energy needs of HVAC systems. One choice that has much to offer in both new construction and renovation of commercial buildings is spiral ductwork. That’s why many of today’s smart HVAC system designers and specifiers are carefully considering their ductwork options. But there’s another part of the system that has a major impact on performance and efficiency: the ductwork. So when designing an HVAC system, engineers often focus on the more costly mechanical components such as chillers and air handlers. Of course, one way to meet sustainability objectives is to specify more efficient, green HVAC equipment.
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