Ductwork Service for Carencro Homes
Carencro sits at the northern edge of Lafayette Parish, and its housing ranges from the established neighborhoods near the original town center to newer subdivisions that have spread along the I-49 corridor. Both old and new homes deal with ductwork issues, just different ones.
In the older sections of Carencro, duct systems were often added after the home was built. These retrofit installations squeeze ducts into spaces that weren’t designed for them, creating sharp turns and cramped connections that restrict airflow. In newer construction, flex duct runs through the attic are the standard, but the quality of the installation varies widely depending on who did the work.
The Real Cost of Duct Leakage
Your ductwork is a sealed delivery system. Every joint, connection, and seam is a potential leak point, and in most homes, several of those points are leaking. Industry data shows that the average home loses 20 to 30 percent of conditioned air through duct leaks. That’s not a rounding error. It’s a significant chunk of the energy you pay for, escaping into your attic or crawlspace.
For Carencro homeowners, the impact is amplified by our long cooling season. Your AC system runs the better part of nine months each year. A 25-percent duct loss over that period means you’re paying for roughly two extra months of cooling you never receive.
How We Find and Fix Leaks
Our approach starts with measurement. We pressurize your duct system using calibrated testing equipment and measure total air loss. This tells us exactly how leaky your ducts are and whether sealing will make a meaningful difference.
Sealing itself is straightforward but labor-intensive. We apply mastic sealant to every accessible joint, connection, and seam. Mastic cures to a permanent flexible bond that doesn’t break down in attic heat the way duct tape does. For gaps larger than a quarter inch, we embed fiberglass mesh tape in the mastic to bridge the opening.
Attic Conditions and Insulation
Carencro attics get punishingly hot in summer. If your ductwork runs through that space (and in most slab-foundation homes, it does), the insulation wrapping those ducts is the only barrier between 140-degree attic air and 55-degree conditioned air flowing inside.
Under-insulated ducts absorb heat from the attic, warming your supply air before it reaches the register. The result is air that feels lukewarm instead of cool, longer system run times, and higher electricity bills. Louisiana requires at least R-8 insulation on attic duct runs. If your home was built before that standard, or if the insulation has degraded over time, upgrading it is one of the smartest investments you can make in your system’s efficiency.
Insulation also prevents condensation. Without an adequate thermal barrier, moisture from the humid attic air condenses on cold duct surfaces. That dripping water damages ceiling drywall and soaks into surrounding insulation, creating conditions for mold growth.
Duct Sizing and Airflow
Even a well-sealed, well-insulated duct system won’t perform if the ducts are the wrong size for your equipment. Undersized ducts restrict airflow, forcing your blower motor to work harder and creating noise at the registers. Oversized ducts reduce air velocity, which leads to poor mixing in rooms and inadequate humidity removal.
Proper duct sizing follows Manual D calculations that account for your equipment’s airflow rating, the length and routing of each run, the number of fittings, and the register sizes. When we install new ductwork or modify existing systems, we size every component to match your specific HVAC setup. We build custom metal duct sections in our own sheet metal shop when the project calls for it.
Call for a Duct Evaluation
If you’re dealing with rooms that won’t cool properly, rising energy bills, or dust blowing from your registers, your ductwork is a likely contributor. F & R Air Conditioning provides duct testing, sealing, and replacement throughout Carencro. Call (337) 893-5646 to schedule an assessment.