Ductwork Makes Noise When Walking [Reasons & Solutions]

If your home ductwork makes creepy and a loud creaking noise then I know how difficult it is to live with that sound every day. You need to fix it as soon as possible. 

To make your ductworks quiet when you walk around your home use insulated flex ducts (For metal ducts), fiberglass insulation, use rubber pads to get rid of those annoying noises. 

Make Ductworks Less Noisy When Walking [Reasons & Solutions]

There are many different reasons ductwork make noise in your home such as installing it wrongly, using the wrong duct material, improper sealing of the gap of ductwork, loose screws, and connectors between the joint of two duct pipes, and so on.

In this section we are going to figure out some most common reasons behind noisy ductwork when you walk on the floor that is located above it, and what are some effective ways to reduce that noise so that you can live in a peaceful and quiet environment.

Reason 1: Using Metal Ductwork 

As we have studied in school, metal is a good medium to transmit sound waves, and if your basement furnace system uses metal duct pipes then you will face noise coming from your furnace system across all of your rooms connected through this duct pipe.

Solutions:

You can cut down the noise traveling through the metal ductwork by insulating it. But if you can bear the cost then replace the metal ductwork of your home with these:

1. Insulated Flex Duct (View On Amazon)
2. Fiberglass Duct Board

An Insulated Flex Duct is a very effective method to reduce noise generated by the furnace system of your basement. You can use an insulated flex duct with your heating system, air conditioning system, ventilation system, and so on. 

It not only makes your home quiet but also reduces the heat or cool loss from the ductwork. 

You can also use a Fiberglass Duct Board instead of a traditional metal ductwork. Fiberglass ductwork comes with these properties:

1. It is damage resistant.
2. It can dampen unwanted noise moving across the ductwork.
3. It prevents heat and cool loss and is also a very energy efficient option. 
4. It prevents the growth of microbes and makes a healthy environment in your home for your family. 

Also Read: 7 Effective Ways To Soundproof Furnace Closet

Reason 2: Ductwork Popping Sound

You will face a popping noise coming from the ductwork because of the temperature changes of the air, flow in it. It will make your ductwork expand when it gets hot and contract when it gets cool. This change makes a popping noise on your ductwork.

Solution:

To avoid popping noise from your ductwork, you need to apply some additional insulation over it. You need to fix all the leakage of your duct pipe first, before applying the insulation. 

Reason 3: Ductwork Popping Against The Frame

If the ductwork is installed below the floor of your home in your basement then it will create a popping noise when you walk on the floor. 

This is because the surface of the ductwork rubs with the floor surface. 

Solution:

You can fix such popping noise by adding a rubber pad between the frame of your floor and ductwork. It will absorb the popping noise and make your home quiet and comfortable for your family.

Reason 3: Installing Wrong Size Furnace System

The size of the furnace also matters a lot. If you live in a small house and the furnace system installed in your basement is too large that can ventilate or air condition a big house then this will push more air through the ductwork that creates annoying noise in all the rooms of your house.

Solution:

Make sure the size of the furnace system in your basement is perfect. Not too small and not too large so that it can throw the air in the right volume so that your home remain in a comfortable temperature and quiet enough so that you and your family members don’t face any problem. 

Reason 4: Annoying Noise Generated Due To Too Much Air Flow In The Ductwork

If you want a peace of mind solution to get rid of those annoying noise generated through the ductwork then you must have a look at the Variable Speed HVAC System.

Solution:

Use Variable Speed HVAC System. A variable speed HVAC system maintains the small volume of airflow inside the ductwork by running at a low speed. 

Due to its variable speed, you can keep it running for a long period of time. This is effective especially in winter, when the HVAC system runs continuously and won’t allow your ductwork to cool down. 

This makes less contraction and expansion on the ductwork surface and makes it quiet.  

Reason 5: Old HVAC System

If your home has a 10 or more years old HVAC system installed then it’s time to change it. An old HVAC system creates lots of noise, takes more energy and gives less output which will cost you in the long run. 

Soundproofing an old HVAC system is totally waste of time and money, because if you have insulated your old HVAC system then if you want to change it later, you have to put double effort into insulating it again.

Solution:

Before applying any insulation material to your old HVAC system, first, replace it.

Also Read: How To Soundproof A Mechanical Room [3 Effective Ways]

Conclusion

Ductwork is very important for our home because it helps keep your home warm in winter and cool in summer. If ductwork is installed below the floor then you can face some annoying noise when you walk in your room. 

This happened because of installing the ductwork recklessly, improper sealing between the joints of ductwork, etc. 

In this article, I’ve shared some effective solutions of why your home ductwork creates noise when you walk on your home floor. 

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