So, you turned on your heating and cooling system, and you noticed something strange: one of your rooms isn’t heating or cooling properly.

To your dismay, you noticed that there’s little to no air coming out of the supply air vent opening! You check the other rooms and they’re getting air just fine. But that one room has you wondering how you can improve your HVAC airflow.

So, what’s wrong with that one room? Once you have verified the vent diffuser is operational and open, here are a few issues with the ductwork that can cause this frustrating problem.

Both metal sheet ductwork and flexible ductwork can get disconnected at the main duct connected, between pipe sections, and at the register termination fitting, preventing any hot or cool air from your heating and air conditioning systems from reaching the rooms in your home.

You’ll need a professional to locate the disconnected duct and seal it so that no air escapes.

Sometimes, other things may cause blockage by covering the vent on the wall (for example, an animal breaks the pipe and builds a nest or dies, your child's stuffed toy, someone hides something in the floor pipe, etc.). Blocking ventilation openings in furniture is also a common problem.

Remove items that cause blockage or rearrange furniture to ensure that your vent cover is intact for optimal airflow.

What's a metal duct?

Metal ducts (also called rigid or hard ducts) offer a more permanent solution to a commercial HVAC system. Galvanized steel and aluminum ductwork last longer. This is especially true when proper maintenance occurs on a regular schedule.

It requires computerized design, measurements, and careful ductwork installation. Experts consider the existing components of the commercial building's heating and cooling system. These considerations include the furnace, heat pump, air conditioner, and more.

The width-to-height ratio in a commercial building is also a consideration. It should provide space for metal ducts to optimize energy efficiency and performance.

What's a flexible duct?

Flexible or flex duct is an integral part of an air conditioning system. The flexible ducting connects the heating and cooling system ductwork to the air distribution. This is comprised of grills and registers that are mounted in a commercial building's ceiling or walls.

Flex duct suspension is convenient for attaching supply air outlets to more rigid ductwork made from sheet metal. It's often attached with long zip ties or metal band clamps.

Rubber, PVC, stainless steel, silicone, polyurethane, and neoprene-dipped polyester fabric are popular types of flexible ductwork material.

Rubber, PVC, stainless steel, and silicone aluminum flexible ducts are best for commercial buildings in extreme climates. This is because inherent resistance to heat and cooling ensures long-lasting productivity. Rubber and polyurethane offer the best abrasive resistance.

Silicon can't handle interior damage during extreme weather resistance. Yet, silicon and PVC flexible duct offer the highest quality for air handling environments. This is because each offers flexibility for any heavy-duty hose.

You’ve most likely seen spiral duct and fittings in many homes and businesses. Not only are the silver tubes used to move air and heat, but they have become somewhat of a fashion statement. Over the years, spiral ducts have seemed to gain popularity in stores, restaurants, and many other places.

Aluminum foil tapes are usually able to withstand more than 300 ° high temperature, the adhesive tape generally looks at the specific material, most can withstand up to about 180 ° high temperature.

The aluminum tape itself is a good conductor of heat. Directly enclosing it directly does not provide insulation, and it also accelerates the loss of heat. Therefore, when used, it is wrapped inside with some insulation wool and then wrapped with aluminum foil. Aluminum foil is actually the conduction of the outside temperature, to protect the inside temperature from the outside world, in fact, insulation is insulation cotton.

With insulation, waterproof, moisture and other functions. Its solar radiation absorption coefficient is extremely low and can block most of the heat transfer.