Ductwork: how the residential ductwork works in Dunwoody homes

Ductwork is the network of sheet-metal and insulated flex ducts that carries air between the air handler and every room. Leaky, crushed or dirty ducts waste energy and leave rooms uncomfortable no matter how good the equipment is.

How it works

Most Atlanta-area homes use a mix of rigid sheet-metal trunks and insulated flexible duct to each room. Flex duct is a wire coil inside a plastic liner, wrapped in insulation and an outer vapor jacket — the kind shown in the photo.

Flex duct works well when it's pulled tight and supported every few feet. When it sags, kinks or makes sharp turns, airflow drops sharply. A single crushed run in an attic can starve a whole bedroom.

Leaks at joints and boots pull hot, dusty attic or crawlspace air into the system. Sealing with mastic, not cloth tape, and keeping insulation intact are the fixes that last.

Signs of a problem

Rooms far from the unit never cool
Dusty house even with good filters
Torn insulation or loose duct in the attic
Whistling from the ceiling
Higher-than-expected energy bills

Simple upkeep

Look at visible ducts in the attic once a year
Keep storage boxes off flex duct runs
Seal joints with mastic or foil tape, not cloth duct tape
Consider cleaning after renovation, pests or water damage

The ductwork in Dunwoody homes

Older duct systems in this area often leak 20–30% of their air into attics and crawlspaces during peak summer. In Dunwoody's mix of 1970s and 1980s traditional homes, many with original duct runs and second-generation equipment, we see ductwork issues most often in homes around Dunwoody Village, Georgetown, Kingsley.

What our technicians check: We inspect duct runs, measure airflow per room and test for leakage. Our crews clean, seal and replace residential and commercial ductwork with HEPA-filtered equipment following NADCA ACR methods.