The unsealed ducts in your attic and crawlspaces lose air, and uninsulated ducts lose heat-wasting energy and money.
Check your ducts for air leaks. First, look for sections that should be joined but have separated and then look for obvious holes.
If you use tape to seal your ducts, avoid cloth-backed, rubber adhesive duct tape-it tends to fail quickly. Instead, use mastic, butyl tape, foil tape, or other heat-approved tapes. Look for tape with the Underwriters Laboratories (UL) logo.
Remember that insulating ducts in the basement will make the basement colder. If both the ducts and the basement walls are not insulated, consider insulating both. Water pipes and drains in unconditioned spaces could freeze and burst if the heat ducts are fully insulated because there would be no heat source to prevent the space from freezing in cold weather. However, using an electric heating tape wrap on the pipes can prevent this. Check with a professional contractor.
Hire a professional to install both supply and return registers in the basement rooms after converting your basement to a living area.
Be sure a well-sealed vapor barrier exists on the outside of the insulation on cooling ducts to prevent moisture condensation.
If you have a fuel-burning furnace, stove, or other appliance or an attached garage, install a carbon monoxide (CO) monitor to alert you to harmful CO levels.
Be sure to get professional help when doing ductwork. A qualified professional should always perform changes and repairs to a duct system.
