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Custom Ductwork Fabrication
A lot of ductwork problems start where the parts don't fit: a new furnace on an old plenum, a duct too small for the room it feeds, or a trunk line in the way of a basement finish. Carrier Test Dealer - DS provides custom ductwork fabrication in Libertyville and the surrounding area, each piece made to fit the equipment and the space it goes into.
If a room won't heat or cool or you're replacing your system, call us about your ductwork.
Custom Ductwork Built to Fit Your Home and Equipment
Duct fittings from a supply house come in standard sizes. The space between your equipment and your existing ductwork doesn't. Custom HVAC ductwork is cut and formed to measurements taken at your home instead.
What Does Custom Ductwork Fabrication Include?
Metal ductwork is made from galvanized steel. Stainless steel and aluminum are options where moisture or corrosion is a concern. A ductwork fabrication job can include:
- Supply and return plenums for furnaces, air handlers and heat pumps
- Custom duct transitions that connect new equipment to existing ductwork
- Trunk lines and branch runs, round or rectangular
- Return air drops and added returns for rooms that need better airflow
- Offsets and low-profile runs that clear beams, pipes and low basement ceilings
- Ductwork for additions, finished basements and remodels
- Register boots, dampers and custom duct fittings for new and existing runs
- Replacement sections that match the ductwork you already have
When Do You Need Custom Ductwork?
It's time to call us when:
- You're replacing your furnace, air conditioner or heat pump, and the new unit doesn't line up with the old plenum or ductwork.
- A room never gets comfortable, even after new equipment went in.
- Your ducts are sweating or dripping onto a ceiling, insulation or the floor.
- The system is louder than it should be, with rushing air at the vents or a rumble near the equipment.
- A plenum or duct is rusted, damaged or showing mold, such as one found during service or a home inspection.
- You're finishing a basement, remodeling or adding on, and the ductwork has to move, fit a lower ceiling or reach new rooms.
If the concern is dust and debris, see air duct cleaning.
Can Custom Ductwork Fix Sweating Ducts?
Yes, when the ductwork itself is the problem. Ducts in good condition can be sealed and insulated where they are.
A duct jammed against joists or strapped tight can't be wrapped all the way around. Rerouting it with a custom offset or a low-profile run leaves room for insulation.
Years of condensation can also rust a plenum or a duct. Replacement sections are built to match the ductwork that stays, then sealed and insulated as they go in. And a plenum or transition that was bent to fit leaves gaps and crooked seams that are hard to seal, where one built to the measurements of the equipment goes together tight.
The air duct sealing page explains why ducts sweat and how sealing and insulation stop it.
Sheet Metal vs. Flex Duct: Which Is Better?
One system can use both, and each has its place. Either one has to be sized and installed correctly to do its job.
Sheet Metal Duct
- Holds its shape, so it won't sag or kink the way flex can.
- Can be built to the size the space needs, for plenums, transitions, trunk lines and tight spaces between joists.
- Seals tightly at the joints with mastic or metal tape.
Flexible Duct
- Quick to route around obstacles on short runs to a register.
- Has to be supported along its length and pulled tight to perform.
- Loses airflow when it sags, kinks or is crushed, which can leave a room short of air.
Whether custom metal ductwork, flex or a mix is right depends on where the duct runs and how much air it carries.
How Does HVAC Ductwork Fabrication Work?
A typical job has four steps:
Look and Measure
The technician looks at your equipment and ductwork, asks which rooms give you trouble, and measures what the new pieces have to fit.
Plan the Sizing
The new ductwork is sized for the airflow your system and each of your rooms need.
Made to Your Measurements
Plenums, transitions and fittings are made to your measurements, so they fit your equipment and your space.
Install, Seal and Insulate
The technician installs, seals and insulates the new pieces, then cleans up.
Ask us how your new ductwork will be sized and what each part of the quote includes.
Frequently Asked Questions About Custom Ductwork
Two quotes can describe very different jobs. One may replace a plenum and a few runs, while another replaces the whole system or adds new returns. Compare them piece by piece, and ask each contractor which parts are being replaced and why, how the new ductwork is sized, how the joints are sealed and insulated, and whether a permit is needed.
Not always. Ductwork that is in good condition, sized for the new system and well sealed can stay. The plenum and the transition to the new unit are the parts that change, since a new unit can differ from the old one in size and shape. That's why the ductwork should be checked as part of planning a new system.
Replacing a furnace? Read about furnace installation and replacement.
Replacing an air conditioner? Read about AC installation and replacement.
Replacing a heat pump? Read about heat pump installation and replacement.
It can when the cause is in the ducts: a run that's too small, crushed or disconnected, or a room without a good path for air to return. Looking and measuring first shows whether the ducts are the cause. If the problem is somewhere else, such as insulation, windows or the equipment, new ductwork won't fix it.
Rushing air at the vents or a rumble near the equipment can mean air is being forced through a plenum, transition or return that's too small or poorly shaped for the new system. A larger plenum, a better transition or an added return can quiet it down. An airflow check shows where the restriction is.
Standard fittings are sold in set sizes, and some online shops will build a piece to the measurements you send. The hard part is getting those measurements right and making the piece fit, seal and insulate properly against your equipment and existing ducts. Ask each contractor who measures the job and who is responsible for how the piece fits.
It depends on the scope. A new plenum and transition go in with the new equipment, while rerouting trunk lines or ducting an addition takes longer and is planned around the other work in the house. Ask for a timeline once the job has been measured.
That depends on your city or county, which sets the permit rules for replacing or altering ductwork. The rules vary from place to place, so ask us what applies where you live.
Commercial sheet metal fabrication covers more than ductwork: exhaust ductwork for equipment, fumes and dust, and curb adapters that fit a new rooftop unit to an existing roof curb.
You can also read about commercial HVAC services.