Ductwork · Orlando & Central Florida
Ductwork replacement in Orlando: stop cooling the attic.
Leaky, crushed or undersized ducts waste the air you pay to cool. We inspect them, repair what can be repaired and replace what can’t. Call (407) 290-9517. Get a free estimate on replacement
Signs your ducts are failing
Ducts live in the hottest part of the house and nobody looks at them. These are the clues you can see from downstairs.
- Rooms that never cool evenly One end of the house is cold, the other is warm. A crushed or disconnected run is the usual cause.
- Dust that comes back fast Leaks on the return side pull attic dust and insulation fibers into the system and out of your vents.
- Humidity or a musty smell Leaky ducts draw in humid attic air. The house feels sticky even when the thermostat says it is cool.
- A system that runs all day If a third of the cold air escapes into the attic, the AC has to run longer to do the same job.
- Visible damage in the attic Sagging or kinked flex duct, joints taped and failed, runs lying on the ceiling drywall, or chewed insulation.
- Bills creeping up as comfort drops Runtime goes up and the rooms do not get better. Ducts are the first place we look after the equipment itself. How ductwork gets replaced
The three kinds of duct in Central Florida attics
What is up there decides what we recommend.
| What it is | What goes wrong | |
|---|---|---|
| Flex duct | Insulated plastic tube on a wire coil. Most homes built since the 1980s. | Kinks, sags, crushed runs, torn outer jackets, connections that let go. |
| Sheet metal | Rigid metal trunk and branches. Older homes and commercial work. | Unsealed joints that leak, insulation that has fallen off, rust. |
| Ductboard | Rigid fiberglass board, often used for plenums and trunks. | Softens and sheds fibers with age and moisture, tape seams that fail. |
How we evaluate, repair and replace ducts
- Evaluation We measure static pressure, the resistance your system pushes against; high static pressure means the ducts are too small or blocked. We take airflow readings room by room and photograph the attic.
- Repair, or replace A few failed joints or one crushed run get repaired and sealed. If more than a few runs are failing, or the ducts are undersized for the system, replacement beats patching. We show you the photos and the readings either way.
- Design and the installed price New runs sized to each room, a properly sized return, insulated to current code. The in-home estimate for a replacement is free.
- Replacement and sealing Old duct comes out, new duct goes in, every joint is sealed with mastic and the system is balanced so each room gets the air it was designed for.
- Final test Static pressure and airflow again, with the numbers from before next to them.
Why A-1 Heat & Air
Since 1987
A-1 Heat & Air has served the Orlando area since 1987. Same name, same number.
A real person answers
We offer 24/7 service. During office hours you talk to someone at our office; after hours a live answering service picks up. No chatbot, no AI booking.
Experienced techs
The company is licensed and insured, and the person who shows up has done this many times before.
Daikin dealer
We install and service Daikin systems, and we work on the equipment you already have.
We know Florida attics
Central Florida attics run far hotter than the rooms below them in summer. Duct that would last decades in a cooler climate needs attention here after 15 to 20 years.
Cleaning is not the same as fixing
Duct cleaning removes what has settled inside the duct. It does not seal a leak or straighten a crushed run, and cleaning a duct that is shedding fibers makes things worse. We tell you which one you need, and sometimes the answer is neither. Air duct cleaning
What drives the cost of duct work
The in-home estimate for a replacement is free. These are the things that move the price.
Number of runs and registers
A three-bedroom house with twelve registers is a different job from a two-story with twenty.
Duct type and insulation
Flex, metal or ductboard, and the insulation level. R-value is insulating power; current code calls for more of it than older homes have.
Plenums and connections
Whether the boxes at the air handler and the return need to be rebuilt.
Attic access
A walkable attic with a hatch versus a scuttle hole over a closet.
Repairs are quoted after the evaluation, which carries a diagnostic fee. Replacements get a free in-home estimate.
Related services
- Blown-in insulation: New ducts and more attic insulation together take the most load off the AC.
- Air duct cleaning: Rotary-brush cleaning when the ducts are sound but dirty.
- AC replacement & installation: A new system attached to failing ducts never performs like it should.
We evaluate, repair and replace ductwork across Greater Orlando: Orlando, Winter Park, Windermere, Oviedo, Altamonte Springs, Longwood, Lake Mary and nearby. See the full service area
Questions we hear a lot
How do I know if my ducts need replacing?
Rooms that never cool evenly, dust that returns days after cleaning, a sticky feel indoors and a system that runs all day are the clues. The answer comes from the attic: a static pressure test, room-by-room airflow readings and photos of the runs. If more than a few runs are failing, replacement beats patching.
How long does ductwork last in Florida?
Flex duct in a Central Florida attic often needs attention after 15 to 20 years; the heat breaks down the outer jacket and the connections. Sheet metal lasts longer but its seals and insulation do not. If your ducts are original to a house built before 2005, have them looked at.
Should I clean my ducts or replace them?
Clean ducts that are sound but dirty. Replace ducts that leak, sag, are crushed or are shedding fibers. Cleaning cannot fix a leak, and cleaning ductboard or old flex that is breaking down can make the air worse. The evaluation tells us which one you need.
How long does duct replacement take?
One to two days for most homes, depending on the number of runs and the attic. The system is off while we work, so we schedule around the hottest part of the day where we can and leave you with cold air running at the end.
Do you repair ducts or only replace them?
Both. A disconnected joint, a crushed run or a torn jacket gets repaired and sealed. We recommend replacement only when the readings and the photos say patching would not hold, and we show you both so you can decide.
From the blog
Ask about your ductwork
Tell us what you are noticing and where the air handler is. Replacement estimates are free; evaluations and repairs carry a diagnostic fee we tell you when you book. Call (407) 290-9517.