AC Ductwork in Cape Coral - St. Clair's Custom Air

The single largest factor in how well your AC system operates is the ductwork system. The ductwork is responsible for up to 66% of the overall performance of your system’s efficiency, capacity, and longevity. It’s so important that the national performance rating system (AHRI) changed it’s testing standards based on ductwork. This has caused a national decrease in efficiency and performance of every air conditioner certified by the DOE, effective 1/1/2023

Ductwork is sized according to how much air needs to be delivered to a specific area, but it also needs, to be properly sized according to how much air needs to be delivered to a specific area, but it also needs to be sized properly for the overall system. If the ductwork is undersized (most common issue), it raises the resistance against the blower motor, causing the motor to work harder, but also causing the air to move faster… in many cases too fast to properly cool/dehumidify the air, but also cause drainage problems by raising the pressure inside the cabinet. A good example of how this works by watching water flow from a hose without pressure nozzle vs with a nozzle. Same amount of water, much different pressure. In addition, the system needs to bring in the same amount of air it puts out. Otherwise, the system is unbalanced, or what we call “upside down”.

Ductwork must also be maintained and checked regularly for air leaks. Leaking cold air into your attic is bad, but through a process called wicking, and equal amount of hot attic air is being drawn in as the cold air leaks out. This can cause excessive dust, sweating ducts/grills, mold/mildew issues, high electric bills, and longer running times.