Ducts are tubes/pipes used as a channel to pass a substance through a machine. Ducts are mostly used in HVAC system (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) to let in or remove air. In most cases, duct work refers to a building's HVAC system that delivers hot air from furnace or cool air from the air conditioner, throughout the building. The duct piping or tubing is made from tin, fiberglass, sheet-metal or flexible plastic material. Other type of hard pipes, which normally delivers water or gas are not duct work pipes. The functions of designing, sizing, optimizing, detailing and repairing together is considered as duct work. Duct work is an essential element in the construction industry. If you find it interesting to make a career in duct work, there are some vital career details you ought to know.
Job Opportunities in Duct Work
There are several job roles in duct work. Many candidates get hired to work as duct work installers, engineers, fabricators and maintenance staff, etc. These duct work specialists perform a variety of work. Firstly, they review the duct work required for the construction site. They estimate the quantities of metal sheet required to make ducts for each room in every apartment of the building. Certain specialists use hand-tools to cut the pipes into accurate size while certain workers use computerized systems to cut the metal sheets into appropriate dimensions. Computerized systems are fitted with tools like saws, lasers and presses that do the cutting. Workers must continuously measure the size of the cut pieces to ensure it follows the plan. They have to redo the cutting if the dimensions are not up to the mark. Further, these cut pieces are joined from the seams using the welts, bolts and connecting devices. Once the final design is completed these ducts are attached to the HVAC system of the building and tested against the set quality parameters.
Tools used at Work
Snips: Snips are used to give cuts to ducts. It ensures the right cut, left cut and straight cut from varying angles are done accurately. Using ordinary snips often cause distortions in work.
Hammer: Hammer is used to tap the ducts and tighten the seams. Duct workers use a special ball peen hammer that has a rounded end on both sides instead of a claw at one end (as is typical in a carpenter's hammer).
Tapes and Awl: Tape is essential to cut duct pieces and assemble them whereas an awl is helpful to make measurement markings on the ducts.
Notcher /Seamer /Crimper: These tools help fit the collars, elbows and seams easily and also reduce the work time. Also, if you are working on multiple ducts and do a lot of 'Y' and 'T' Joints, then you can consider using specialized straight and diagonal hole cutting tools.
Sealing Material: You need a can of masticks and rolls of fiberglass reinforcing tape to provide a sturdy, reliable and long lasting joint. Using duct tapes is less reliable in recent times as better quality materials are available in market today.
Career Scope for Duct Work
Job opportunities for duct work workers are expected to grow at a rate faster than average. As the population increases, the need for housing and commercial buildings will increase too. Also, the growing negative impact of industrialization and construction has made it mandatory to imply environment friendly HVAC system for buildings. After installation too, these experts are required to conduct periodic quality checks and maintenance duties. Hence, it is expected that plenty of jobs would be available for duct work aspirants. If the candidates possess certifications from recognized technical institutes and boast of good customer service skills, then they receive better job opportunities.
We hope this duct work description will help you make accurate career decisions.