Ducting Explored - Acoustic comfort for air ducts
Why should I be concerned about noise?
Noise is commonly defined as a loud or unpleasant sound that causes a disturbance. Studies have shown that noise exposure increases general stress levels and aggravates stress-related conditions such as high blood pressure, coronary disease, and migraine headaches. It also impacts sleep, affecting a person's mood, productivity and learning the following day.
How do air ducts contribute to a noisy environment?
Air ducts are often made from materials that vibrate easily. Due to mechanical impact, such vibrations and sounds that can be transmitted through the air are carried by the air ducts to other parts of the building it supplies clean air to. If you hear the whooshing of the airflow or the loud footsteps of someone walking along a corridor, there is a chance that air ducts are carrying these noises to your location.
What can I do to reduce this noise?
Insulation helps to lower the overall noise level in a building as it absorbs the sounds carried by air ducts. Fibre-free duct liners, such as open-cell elastomeric foams, have visco-elastic properties that can isolate vibrations and dampen noise. This is more effective as compared to fibre-based duct liners that reduce noise through the friction caused within the material when sound enters the space between the fibres.
If you need some advice on insulation for air ducts, contact our technical insulation experts. We're here to help you make an informed choice, leaving you time for everything else.
Explore all our entries in our five-part series
How do we stay comfortable indoors for long periods? As a start, we can consider insulating our air ducts to keep us healthy while consuming less energy. Read on for the 3 key points when insulating air ducts.
Condensation can have an impact on the health and safety of a person spending long hours indoors. To understand why it should be an important consideration in insulating air ducts, read more about it here.
Did you know that air ducts are insulated to drive energy efficiency? We look at how a ventilation system can become more energy efficient in our entry here.
Is it too noisy in your building? Consider insulating your air ducts to absorb these noises to stay comfortable indoors for longer periods. Read more about acoustic comfort here.
Have you thought about which material to use to insulate your air ducts? We made a quick overview of two commonly used materials to make it easier for you to make an informed decision.
Discover products
