Kitchen exhaust duct insulation material

As the ductwork insulation is concerned, the United States Department of Energy suggests rigid fiberboard insulation in order to insulate your ductwork. You may install the insulation according to the directions of the company. Before you begin with the insulation, however, you may have to seal all the openings that are there in your ductwork, insulating ductwork with unsealed openings is an exercise in futility at best.

The high R-value duct insulation for rigid fiberboard is R-6.5 to R-6.8, which is made of polyisocyanurate foam. This kind of insulation has reflective foil on both sides, with a foil vapor barrier to the back and a white foil finish on the front. Extruded polystyrene (XPS) rigid foam insulation has an R-value of about R-5 and expanded polystyrene (EPS) has an R-value of about R-3.8. Use mastic sealant or metal tape instead of duct tape. Contrary to its name, duct tape doesn’t actually provide a good seal, and it degrades quickly.

Kitchen hood system installation near me

Other insulation considerations

As is the case with insulation in other parts of your building, you always have to frequently check as well as maintain the insulation on your entire ductwork. In case the insulation all around your vent hood ductwork has become waterlogged because of any roof leaks or the same issue, the efficacy of insulation will be disturbed in so many ways. And in case the insulation is disturbed in any case, it can make a satisfactory environment that will invite any of the moisture issues that may be inside the ducts.

You can also check the insulation all around your ducts at least once a year and replace any parts that have become compromised. It would be the best idea if your kitchen exhaust fan discharges to the outdoors and does not exhaust into the attic and soffits or to any crawl space. If the run is long, you will need to have a big fan, so you will have to check with any certified professional.

Always keep in mind that all the joints should be sealed, and if the duct runs through an unheated space, they need to be insulated. So the question here arises that how do you seal a range hood duct? Well, if the gaps are more than 1”, they might be sealed from the attic side with air-blocking material like rigid foam that’s cut to fit and sealed in place with caulk or spray foam. You may also use caulk, etc. so that you can air seal the vent to the exterior wall.

FAQ’S

Can I use an insulated flexible duct for the range hood?

According to IRC, the duct has to be made from galvanized steel, stainless steel, or copper. The duct must have a smooth interior and it definitely has to be airtight. This actually means that you are not going to use any flexible product for this application rather you particularly that flexible plastic crap. Instead of this, you should use a rigid duct.

How do you insulate a duct?

A good practice would be that you wrap the whole duct with R-3 to R-8 insulation, but in case, nothing else is there you would need to at least wrap the six feet of the duct that is inside the termination point, that is exactly is where condensation will have to happen. You can keep the vent lower and run the insulation over the duct.

Should a vent hood duct be covered?

In order to protect your vent hood duct from any sort of damage, we would highly recommend that you should cover the duct in your cooking space with the help of any stainless steel chimney. actually, the chimney can completely cover the ductwork in your kitchen. Which actually makes the hood look more appealing and keeps the duct well-protected as well.

Should a vent hood duct be above the roof?

In this case, you may have two options to vent your hood duct, one option would be horizontally through a wall and the other option would be vertically through the ceiling.

So, typically, you can cap off your vent with a wall cap or roof cap. So a vent hood duct will not be above the roof, but you can rather install a roof cap. It would keep any sort of debris, dirt, and small animals from getting inside your vent hood duct and your building.

What type of duct is best for venting a range hood?

According to deep research, the rigid duct can be the best duct for a range hood. As it is a cost-effective and durable option for your range hood vent. And not to forget the higher the CFM of your range hood, the larger the duct you’ll need.