Request Service
Call Today (866) 881-5935
Locations in Spring Hill & Crystal River, FL!

Whether you’re thinking of getting new ducts in your Inverness, Florida, home or you want to add insulation to them, you need to know what R-Value is. R-Value helps you understand how well the insulation around your ducts will prevent heat conduction.

What Is R-Value?

R-Value measures how well insulation can resist heat flow. When HVAC contractors describe the R-Value of your ductwork, we’re actually talking about the insulation around your ducts and how well it prevents heat from entering or escaping your ducts.

Ducts don’t need R-Values as high as roofs, walls, or ceilings, because they’re inside an already insulated space. The drywall and insulation that’s within your home restricts heat-loss already. But because of condensation that can form on metal ducts in the summer and low winter temperatures, ducts need to have insulation to maintain efficiency when heating and cooling your home.

What R-Value Is Right for Your Climate?

Because it never gets very cold in Florida, you don’t need duct insulation with as high an R-Value as you would if you lived up north. Typically R-4 to R-8 is appropriate for the ducts within the insulated part of your home. No insulation up to an R-4 value will work if you have any ducts in an uninsulated or unfinished basement.

If you ever plan to move north, a climate with mild winters needs the same R-4 to R-8 that we use here, though you should probably insulate any basement ducts with at least R-2. Very far north, where the winters are quite chilly, some people have duct insulation as hefty as R-11. Going below R-6 in these climates can cause heat loss.

The R-Value of your ducts is essential to keeping your home heated and cooled to your specifications. When the rest of your HVAC system is in top shape but you’re still not getting good results, R-Value might be the culprit. If you need new ducts or better insulation, call the pros at Seneca Air Conditioning. Reach us today at 866-881-5935.

Image provided by BigStock

Pin It on Pinterest