Having the right ducts is a very important aspect of making your home more energy efficient. After all, the hot and cold air being generated by your HVAC unit spends a lot of time in these vents before it gets to you. This presents a lot of opportunity for the air to reach thermal equilibrium with the air surrounding the vents. Using insulated vents that are comprised of thermally-resistant metal is a great step in the right direction. Making sure your vents are also easy to clean will help keep your vents in working order. Duct installation is a very intensive process that requires a contractor with a certain set of skills. Since duct installations usually take place around areas in your home where structural integrity could be compromised, this is nothing to play around with. Finding a cheap contractor may sound like a good idea at first, however this is something that can come back to haunt you later on. Working with a slightly more expensive and qualified contractor now is better than spending much more on having a load-bearing wall replaced if it is damaged and becomes a habitability concern.