How to Decide Which Material to Use for Fabric Ducting

Selecting the correct material is crucial for the performance of a fabric ducting system.

Fire testing of fabric ducting material

If the room the fabric ducting will be fitted in has fire standards applicable to it, choose a material that is inherantly fire retardant.
Treatments to make fabric fire-retardant are not suitable, as thes will wash out and become ineffective.

This image shows the difference between HDC and LDC materials

If the fabric cducting system is to require minimal maintenance, choose a high dust holding capacity material (HDC) rather than Low dust holding capacity (LDC)

Fabric ducting in a quiet classroom

Choose fabric ducting made from staple fibres to increase its sound absorbtion. this will allow a room to meet its NR critera without the use of acoustic devices.

Condensation on non-insulated duct

If the fabric ducting system is to heat only, a pvc coated fabric will be required.
If cooling is required and the air will be supplied below the dew point, you will need to select a permeable fabric as this will remain condensation free.

Difficulty: Easy