Ducting carries air between your fan, filter and the outside world. It looks like the least important part of an extraction setup and it is routinely where most of the performance is lost – a good fan on bad ducting moves far less air than the box promised.
Types, and when each is right
Type
Noise
Best for
Aluminium flexible
Loud
Short runs, cheapest option
Combi / insulated
Quieter
General use, reduces condensation
Acoustic
Quietest
Bedrooms, flats, anywhere noise matters
Rigid
Quiet, best airflow
Permanent installs and long runs
The three rules that decide performance
Keep it short. Every metre costs airflow. Route the shortest sensible path rather than the tidiest one.
Keep it straight. A 90-degree bend costs roughly the same as several metres of straight duct. Sweeping curves, not sharp corners.
Pull it taut. Concertinaed flexible ducting is the most common and most avoidable mistake – the ridges create turbulence and slash airflow. Stretch it out fully and cut to length.
Match the diameter
Fan, filter and ducting should all be the same size. A 6in filter on 5in ducting throttles the whole system and makes the fan work harder for less air. If you must step between sizes, use a proper reducer rather than tape, and do it as close to the outlet as possible.
What else you need
Duct clips or jubilee clamps at every joint, aluminium tape for sealing, reducers, Y-pieces if you are splitting a run, and back-draught shutters where air could come back in. See extraction fans, carbon filters and silencers.
Why buy ducting from The Hydro Bros?
We are a hydroponics shop in Croydon and we cut and supply this over the counter. Tell us the run length and where the air has to go and we will list the parts. Discreet UK and European delivery, and excellent customer reviews on Trustpilot.