YES use steel duct
I've been told that a fiberglass ductwork falls apart with time and even blows fiberglass into a house. Some HVAC installers use fiberglass ductwork while I was suggested to only accept a metal (stainless steel?) ductwork. Any suggestions?
YES use steel duct
Metal, metal, metal. Galvanized steel is used...you don't need stainless. Stainless steel is at least 5 to 6 times more expensive, on top of an already higher sheet metal cost than what it was two years ago.
Get back to work.™
You couldnt give me a truck load of fiberglass duct,,,,ok I'll take it...thats less duct my competitor will have to install JUST MY TWO CCENTS
Metal duct is one thing, but it can be insulated on the interior or exterior.Originally posted by enigma
I've been told that a fiberglass ductwork falls apart with time and even blows fiberglass into a house. Some HVAC installers use fiberglass ductwork while I was suggested to only accept a metal (stainless steel?) ductwork. Any suggestions?
Ask for wrapped on the exterior.
We used Duct Board early when starting out. We now manufacture our on metal duct.
We like to call Duct Board "Crack Board"
I was told a few years ago that the duct board was being banned because of Indoor Air Quailty issues. Not many contractors in my area use it anymore.
I used it for years and really didnt have a problem with it. Finally ended up with a new house that the women that owned it could hardly breath half the time in it. Now we were using the spray glue on the rough cuts and trying to keep do everything right so it would last. After a while I started hearing how hospital were banning it and some areas were stopping it so I decided to stop using it after that one ladies house. We ended up tearing all of hers out and replacing it with metal. I didnt want to end up replacing a lot of ducting if we started seeing that showing up a lot more often down the road. I just started thinking its just another asbestos waiting to happen down the road and as much as people like to sue, I think I will just pass on using it. I insulate the outside with ductwrap in cold or hot spaces but as far as insulating the inside for sound I avoid it . Only when its exposed on roof or ouside were I cant use wrap.
I think you can probably draw a conclusion from what you have been told, but I will chime in: USE GALVANIZED DUCT. I agree that it should be externally insulated in NON CONDITIONED SPACES. Internal insulation can be an IAQ issue at some point, and it also inhibits the ability to clean the ductwork in the future. IF internal insulation is used, be sure to adjust the duct size to still provide the clear air space required. More and more duct is required to be sealed at joints anyway, so you might as well externally insulate. I have never seen an OLD FIBERGLASS DUCT SYSTEM. What does that tell you?
How about Spacepak GR8 Red plenum duct? Supposedly doen't expose fiberglass into the air stream and the interior is also supposedly washable. Any thoughts??
I've said it before on this site,ductboard is in my opinion is only good for insulating your dog house,that is assuming you don't care much about your dog.
ductboard=cheap
metal=quality
I doubt there is 1 home in 100,000 with metal duct in Florida.Lots on homes built in the past 30 years.No problems with correctly installed ductboard ,that we know of.
I agree with Dash. I don't use duct board but if its done right there is no problem using it. The biggest problem I have seen with its use is installing it in places that people use for storage or have to crawl over it.
ductboard should be outlawed
it is the most horrible thing there is to run air through, next to a fiber glass filled septic tank.
i move to texas from maryland and everyone here uses the SH_T. not because they think its better but because they think its cheaper. really it is because i am in an area where they think $10.00 an hour is good money and to pay someone with experience $15.00 hrly to do something right is just unheard of.
any pinhead with a yard stick, razor knife and a roll of tape can build a visually suffiecent duct system...but not in my house.
The company Iwork for makes their plenums out of ductboard , They also line commercial duct with liner and although I know the interior surfaces and edges are supposed to be sealed the fact is , there are still exposed fiberglass edges snd seams
the exposed ductboard is also supposed to be seald but there are still some edges that are exposed occasionally From what I have been told, that duct board is only good for 5 yrs or so before it starts to deteriorate and break apart
Just like asbestose, when viewed under a microscope fiberglass particals have barbs and getting it off of your skin is bad enough, it would be impossible to get rid of if you were to breath it
Why would it only last 5 years?
Someone is misleading you.IMHO
Florida has tons of homes ,20 plus years old,nothing crumpled,we see them daily.
[Edited by dash on 05-06-2005 at 02:57 PM]
ductboard like equipment is only as good as the install.
we have systems 25 yrs old that are still perfect. i have seen systems 3 yrs old falling apart. the right stapler and tape are critical. also shiplap joints. other trick is using wifes old iron to iron tape to seal.
ENIGMA what did the no good thieving contractor have in his proposal???
I was wondering when someone would pick up on hia llterior motives for psting this questions...Originally posted by t527ed
ENIGMA what did the no good thieving contractor have in his proposal???
He stated it off with Stainless...
Ya, Egnima make your theiving contarctor isntall stainless all teh way will last a lifetime...
Now about flex, lluv it use it and if isntalled properly and with a quaility product lke a metailized mylar it's great!
Also luv duct board, luv it use it but only use the foil faced ductboard, really neat stuff... Allstyle makes their plenum cols with it... As long as it is double foil faced it is the next best thing since the cheese...
Now back to that poor thieving contractor... I think he should give you back all of your money and run like hell... And god help the next contractor that meets you!
AllTemp Heating & Cooling
Bash it all you want but, duct board is here to stay. We have used ductboard since 1982 and I have yet to see a system "fall apart". We have replaced stuff that has gotten wet or crushed or just plain badly installed. The one guy says all you need is a razor knife and tape to put it together. Well with sheet metal you don't even need that. All you have to do is go to Home Depot and buy your pieces of duct and slap them together. You shouldn't bash it just don't use it if you don't like it. We do custom high end jobs and Owens Ultra-Gold ductboard is all we use. I hand cut every single piece of ductwork and transition it to the size I need. Ask me if you should use ductboard or sheet metal and I would go ductboard. I have it my own house and about 1000 others. I did a new house with it today and I am going to do another tommorrow. We use metal, when asked and like my ductboard or my infloor jobs for that matter they are works of art. No complaints here, quit your bitchin' and use what you want. It is still a free freakin' country.
If it ain't broke don't fix it!!