There is a new trend in interior design, where ducting is exposed instead of being hidden away in the crawlspace in between the roof and the ceiling. This supposedly saves energy.

As it turns out, ductwork that carries cooled or heated air through the house tend to leak, and the air leaked through the crawlspace makes up for a big loss. This leaked air cools or warms the crawlspace instead of the interior of the house.

Go to any attic in winter and you’ll see. Instead of heated air warming up your wintertime, it’s warming up the attic instead!

Even the most professional of installations will inevitable result in a leak or two in the ductwork. So this still wastes energy from the power spent cooling or heating.

So the new approach is exposed ductwork, which can sometimes be very ugly. People try to find better ways of concealing these. Some design their interiors as if the ceilings were intended to look that way. Faux finishes, moldings and cornices can work to add some creative flair. You can also be creative in painting. What’s important is that you save on your electricity and gas bills in the long run.