TrueFlow · Sheet Metal Worker
Halifax · Dartmouth · Bedford · Lower Sackville · Hammonds Plains / Fall River · HRM
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Sheet Metal Worker · Halifax HRM

Ductwork Installation Halifax

Ductwork decides airflow, comfort, noise, and how long your system lasts — long before the equipment does. We design, fabricate, and install duct runs that actually move the air where it needs to go, across Halifax, Dartmouth, Bedford and Sackville.

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Galvanized spiral round supply duct main installed below a steel-joist commercial roof

What we do

Ductwork is the part most homeowners never think about — until a room won't warm up or the system runs loud. Get the duct sizing, transitions and sealing right and everything downstream follows: even temperatures, quieter operation, and equipment that isn't fighting the airflow. It's the foundation we build every other part of the job on.

What's included

  • New trunk-and-branch duct runs sized to the home's actual heat load
  • Full replacement of tired, leaky or undersized duct systems
  • Supply and return design so air comes back as well as it goes out
  • Fabricated transitions, plenums and takeoffs made to fit the space
  • Sealed joints and proper support — no rattles, no leaks into the attic

Signs it's time to call us

One or two rooms never reach the same temperature as the rest of the house
The system runs loud, or you hear air whistling and ducts rattling
Rooms feel stuffy or starved of air even with the fan running
Ducts are old, crushed, disconnected or held together with tape
You're finishing a basement, adding a room, or changing the system

Frequently asked questions

How do I know if my ductwork needs replacing?

If rooms won't balance, the system is loud, or the ducts are old, leaking or undersized, modifying or replacing them usually pays for itself in comfort and running cost. We assess the whole air path before recommending anything.

Can you add a duct run to a cold room?

Often, yes. Whether the right fix is a new run, a resized branch, or a better return depends on the existing system — so we look at the whole airflow picture, not just the cold room.

Do I need my whole duct system replaced, or just part of it?

Usually just part of it. Full replacement is the expensive answer and it's rarely the necessary one — most homes we look at need targeted work: a couple of resized branches, added return air, proper sealing, and a rebuilt transition. We'd rather tell you the ducts are mostly fine than sell you a system you didn't need.

What does ductwork installation cost in Halifax?

It depends almost entirely on scope — how much duct is being run, whether it goes through finished space, and how much has to be fabricated to fit. Targeted rework on an existing system is a different order of cost than ducting a house that has none. We quote after seeing the space; anyone pricing it over the phone is guessing.

How long does a ductwork job take?

A focused job — added returns, a new run or two, sealing and a transition — is often a day or two. A full system in an older home with no existing duct chases takes longer, because the fabrication and the routing are the work. We give you the timeline with the quote.

Do you install ductwork outside Halifax proper?

Yes — we work across HRM: Dartmouth, Bedford, Lower Sackville, Cole Harbour, Hammonds Plains, Fall River, Eastern Passage and Spryfield. The housing stock differs a lot between them, which changes what a duct install actually involves.

Can you install ductwork in a house that doesn't have any?

Yes — a full duct install is a big part of what we do, whether it's an older home going ducted for the first time or an addition that needs air. It's more involved than modifying an existing system, because the trunk, branches, returns and every transition get designed and fabricated from scratch to fit the house. We walk the space and lay out a plan before pricing it.

Why do ductwork installation quotes vary so much?

Because ductwork is priced by scope, not a flat rate, and scopes differ wildly. How much duct is being run, whether it passes through finished space you have to open up and patch, how much has to be custom-fabricated to fit, and whether it's a new install or targeted rework all move the number. Two quotes on the “same” job can be pricing genuinely different amounts of work — which is why it's worth understanding what each one actually includes.

Working with us

How the work gets done

01Send the detailsTell us what's happening and share photos if you have them.
02Review the projectWe assess the home, airflow, ductwork or ventilation issue.
03Quote the workClear recommendations, honest scope, and next steps.
04Install cleanlyCompleted with attention to airflow and sheet metal finish.

More services

Duct Sealing & Leak Repair

Leaky ducts waste the air you paid to heat. We find the leaks that matter and seal them properly.

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Heat Pump Ductwork & Retrofit Prep

Switching from oil or going ducted? We assess and modify the ductwork before the equipment goes in.

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Custom Sheet Metal Fabrication

Elbows, transitions, plenums, fittings, flashing and custom pieces — fabricated to fit.

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Helpful guides

Modern Heat for a Century Halifax Home: Keeping the Character, Losing the Oil

A century Halifax home can move off oil to modern heating and cooling without losing its character. The three concealed paths are: a small-duct high-velocity (SDHV) system, whose 2-inch supply tubes route through existing wall cavities and closets and end in small, discreet outlets; compact conventional ducting run through basements, closets, and reused pipe chases; or an air-to-water heat pump that keeps the original radiators (least disruption, but no cooling, and the rads must be verified for lower water temperatures). All three pair with cold-climate heat pumps rated well below minus 25 Celsius. Beyond comfort, the switch is one of the largest carbon cuts a Nova Scotia homeowner can make: the federal Oil to Heat Pump Affordability program reports an average reduction of about 2.8 tonnes of CO2 per year for every home converted, measured across a program in which Nova Scotia had more participating households than any other province.

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Small-Duct High-Velocity HVAC, Explained

A small-duct high-velocity (SDHV) system heats and cools a whole home through insulated flexible supply tubes roughly 2 inches across, small enough to route through existing wall cavities, closets, and joist bays — which is why the technology was developed in the 1970s for older homes that can't take conventional ductwork. Air is delivered at high velocity through small, discreet outlets, mixing each room evenly and dehumidifying better than standard systems. Paired with a cold-climate inverter heat pump, an SDHV system heats reliably in Nova Scotia winters. The three established manufacturers are Unico, SpacePak, and Canadian-built Hi-Velocity. Done right — a proper heat-loss calculation, a generous outlet count, and sound-attenuating tubing at every outlet — it runs quietly; those design steps are what separate a good install from a noisy one.

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Air Exchanger (HRV) Replacement in Halifax: Cost, Lifespan, and Whether You Actually Need One

An air exchanger and an HRV are the same thing — "air exchanger" is simply what most Nova Scotians call a heat recovery ventilator. As a planning estimate only, replacing one where the existing ducting is sound commonly runs about $2,500–$4,500 installed in Canada, while a first-time installation that needs new dedicated ducting more realistically lands in the $5,000–$7,500 range and can exceed it in a large or complex home. HRVs are commonly quoted at a 10–15 year lifespan, and a well-maintained unit can reach 20. But before replacing anything, check the cheap causes: a large share of air exchangers written off as dead turn out to be a clogged filter, a fouled core, an iced-up intake, a seized damper motor, or a unit that was never balanced after installation — service work, typically a fraction of replacement cost. These are estimates, not quotes; the unit, the state of the ducting, and how much has to be rebuilt determine the real number.

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How Much Does Ductwork Cost — and How Long Does It Last?

As a planning estimate only, a full ductwork replacement in a typical 1,500 sq ft Canadian home commonly starts around $4,500–$7,500 for straightforward access, but budget $8,000–$12,000 or more once finished walls, multiple storeys, added returns, or custom transitions are involved — which is most real homes. Material runs roughly $15–$25 per linear foot for insulated flex and $30–$45 for galvanized sheet metal, and materials are commonly 40–50% of the bill. Lifespan is a material question, and the gap is large: InterNACHI's inspection standard puts ducting at 60 to 100 years, while flexible duct is more typically 10–15. Most homes don't need full replacement — targeted rework plus sealing is far more common and much cheaper. These are estimates, not quotes: the scope of your specific project determines the cost, and only seeing the system produces a real number.

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Leaky Ducts & Duct Sealing: Is It Worth It?

Most duct systems leak — the U.S. Department of Energy estimates 20–30% of the air moving through them escapes through loose joints, gaps, and disconnected runs, much of it wasted into unheated basements and attics. Sealing pays off most when the ducts run through those unconditioned spaces. Accessible joints are sealed by hand with mastic or UL-181 foil tape (never cloth duct tape); hidden leaks inside a closed system can be sealed with Aeroseal, an aerosolized sealant. Sealing won't fix undersized ducts, too few returns, or crushed runs — those need physical repair, not sealant.

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Heat Pump Rebates in Nova Scotia: What's Left in 2026

The Oil to Heat Pump Affordability Program (OHPA) is closed to new applicants in Nova Scotia — its funding was fully allocated and Efficiency Nova Scotia stopped taking applications on July 2, 2026. (The federal program page lists a July 31, 2026 deadline, but Nova Scotia homeowners apply through Efficiency Nova Scotia, so that date no longer helps here.) The federal Canada Greener Homes grant and loan are also closed to new applicants. What remains is the Home Energy Assessment path and the income-tested Moderate Income Rebate, which can be combined. Amounts and availability change often, so confirm current details with Efficiency Nova Scotia before you plan around them.

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What HVAC Contractors Need from a Reliable Ductwork Sub

HVAC contractors need a ductwork sub who shows up on schedule, fabricates to fit instead of forcing stock parts, stays clearly in the air-side lane, and delivers work that doesn't generate callbacks. Reliability, fabrication capability, clean scope, and respect for the contractor's customer relationship matter as much as the sheet-metal work itself — because a sub reflects on the company that hired them.

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How to Choose a Sheet Metal Contractor in Halifax

To choose a sheet metal contractor in Halifax, look for someone who specializes in the air side — ductwork, ventilation, and fabrication — not just equipment sales. Ask whether they fabricate custom fittings, how they handle return air and duct sizing, and how they deal with refrigerant work (which is a separate licensed trade in Nova Scotia). A clear written scope, references, insurance, and honesty about what they don't do matter more than the lowest price.

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Oil Furnace to Heat Pump Conversion: What Happens to the Ductwork?

In an oil-furnace-to-heat-pump conversion, the existing ductwork usually stays in place, but it rarely comes along untouched. The old furnace is removed and a heat-pump air handler takes its spot, connected to the duct through a new plenum and coil transition. The ducts almost always need assessing, sealing, and often added return air and resizing, because a heat pump moves air differently than the oil furnace did.

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Ductwork Sizing for Ducted Heat Pumps

Ductwork sizing determines whether a ducted heat pump can move the air it's rated for. A heat pump needs a specific airflow (roughly 350–400 CFM per ton of capacity), and undersized supply or return ducts raise static pressure, cutting airflow below what the equipment needs. That robs heating and cooling capacity, increases noise, and shortens equipment life — which is why proper sizing matters more for a heat pump than it did for the old furnace.

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Common Ductwork Problems in Older Halifax Homes

The most common ductwork problems in older Halifax homes are leaky and disconnected joints, undersized or too-few cold-air returns, returns built out of open joist cavities instead of sealed metal, and crushed or kinked flexible duct. Each one wastes heat and starves rooms of air. Most are visible from the basement and fixable without replacing the whole system.

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Why Some Rooms Stay Cold After a Heat Pump Install

When one room stays cold after a heat pump install, the equipment is usually working fine — the ductwork feeding that room can't deliver enough warm air. Undersized branch ducts, too little return air, leaks in the basement or attic, and a system that was never balanced all starve the rooms farthest from the unit. The fix is almost always airflow, not the heat pump.

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Do You Need New Ductwork for a Heat Pump in Nova Scotia?

Not always — but your existing ductwork has to be checked first. A ducted heat pump moves more air, more continuously, and at a lower temperature than an oil or electric furnace, so ducts that worked for the furnace are often undersized, leaky, or short on return air. Most homes need targeted modifications, not a full replacement — an assessment tells you which.

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Ducted vs Ductless Heat Pumps for Halifax Homes

Choose a ducted heat pump for even, whole-home comfort when you already have — or can fit — good ductwork. Choose ductless mini-splits when you want to heat and cool specific rooms without running ducts, or your home has no ductwork at all. Many Halifax homes end up with a hybrid: ducted for the main living space, a mini-split for a stubborn room, addition, or basement.

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Ductwork Installation & Replacement in Halifax HRM

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