When we were designing our house, we decided to finish the attic space to use it as a guest bedroom or hangout area for the kids.
We knew the space wouldn’t get used a ton by us, but our kids would love entertaining their friends in the designated space.
We tried to make the room really unique and fun and we got the kids involved in the planning process. Ultimately, we decided to leave the ductwork and pipes exposed on the ceiling along with the exposed beams. It was an industrial look that would be stunning, and it turned out amazing. A few weeks after the construction though, we noticed that the kids weren’t using the space anymore. When we questioned them, they told us that the ductwork was too noisy. Every time the HVAC system kicked on, the ductwork would rattle slightly and the air was loud as it passed through. This was something that we’d never anticipated, but we wanted to fix it so the attic space would be used again. After contacting our HVAC contractor about it, he suggested we install ductwork insulation around the ducts. The insulation would act as a sleeve that hugged the ductwork and it would absorb any unwanted noise. It also had added benefits of moisture reduction and better air temperature. We were worried it would take away from the look of industrialism, but it didn’t at all! The ductwork insulation sleeve was identical to the actual ductwork and it blended right in.