The Importance of Properly Sized Ductwork

VACAVILLE — When replacing your home’s heating and cooling unit, it’s critical to also address your duct system. Ductwork is responsible for distributing air throughout the home, which is a function that directly impacts the central unit’s performance. By addressing your ductwork in unison with central unit replacement, you can ensure proper functioning of your HVAC system as a whole.

To understand the crucial role ductwork plays in HVAC unit efficiency, you’ll need to learn a little bit about how it works. A duct system has two sides: the “return,” which is responsible for drawing in air and pushing it through the central unit, and the “supply,” which carries the air into each individual room throughout the home.

Since an HVAC unit has a specific airflow design, when the ductwork’s return is undersized, it restricts the amount of air the unit is able to draw in and push through to the supply side. This causes the unit to work harder than it’s designed to, which hampers efficient performance and creates potential mechanical problems. So, when replacing your central unit, it’s important to assess your ductwork and make sure it’s properly sized—only then will it be able to achieve the level of efficiency you’re looking for.