Quote:
Originally Posted by mikester
Not interested in doing it myself - just want to understand the system so that if I do decide to upgrade the house I know what I'm being sold.
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Very good outlook. And you can find many independents that will do the work. I always like to work with smaller owner operated companies preferring to hire ones where the boss hisself is on the job.
On the duct work, even though what has been said is generally true, the ducts won't be that much smaller, if smaller at all. Many installers go with duct sizes that will handle A/C at a later date. Frankly, with the calculations needed to properly size ducting and placing boots, most seem to miss the mark one way or the other a bit or have to compromise because of the overall layout.
Ideally, A/C and heating would occupy separate systems with heating boots at the floor and A/C vents in the ceiling. But since they typically share the same air handler, that is not the usual case.
The point is I've seen many convoluted duct systems do the job adequately. 100% efficient, no, but what is? It's all a matter of degree. Balancing within the ducts will help distribute the conditioned air in the home. You can add inline boosters too. There's one I know of that is dead quiet with a variable speed fan.