Ductwork redesign and indoor air quality upgrade

The problem

The homeowners reported significant temperature differences between floors and one family member had ongoing allergy symptoms they suspected were related to indoor air quality.

Previous contractors had only offered to add a second thermostat zone without addressing the underlying duct design.

What we found

A duct assessment showed undersized return air paths were starving the system and creating pressure imbalances between floors.

The home had no dedicated fresh air ventilation, relying entirely on infiltration through an increasingly airtight envelope.

The solution

We resized and rerouted key return ducts to balance airflow between floors, installed an energy recovery ventilator (ERV) for controlled fresh air exchange, and upgraded the system filtration to a higher-MERV filter.

Result

Temperature variance between floors dropped significantly, and the homeowners reported improved air quality and reduced allergy symptoms within the first month.

"Nobody else looked past the thermostat. West Peak actually fixed the ductwork."