Research from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has consistently shown about 30-40 percent of the air traveling through ductwork leaks, and if air is being pulled from somewhere, like a dirty crawlspace, it is going to effect IAQ. Insulating ductwork has become a common practice for contractors across the country.
With factors like that in mind, the importance of quality ductwork is never going to diminish, which makes it all the more intriguing to see the current state of this essential segment of the HVAC marketplace. Fiber, spiral, and flexible ductwork have each carved out important pieces of the duct puzzle with each demonstrating clear benefits and noticeable drawbacks.