Air Conditioning
AC Ducting Length Calculator
Duct run length and fittings for ducted AC
Updated 12 July 2026 · Live
What this tool does
Works out the total duct run length and an estimate of the fittings for a ducted air-conditioning layout.
Enter the main run, the branch run length, the room count and bends; the calculator returns the total duct length and fittings.
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Formula Used
Works out the total duct run length and an estimate of the fittings for a ducted air-conditioning layout. It runs entirely in your browser and shows the working, so you can check every step against your own figures.
How the ac ducting length calculator works
The total duct length is the main trunk plus a branch to each room. The fittings estimate allows two per room — a branch take-off and a register — plus the bends you enter. Short runs and few bends keep the static pressure down, so the fan moves air efficiently and quietly.
What you enter
Enter the main run, the branch run length, the room count and bends; the calculator returns the total duct length and fittings. Every field is editable, and the result recalculates the moment you change a value.
Reading the result
Use the length to order flexible or rigid duct, and the fittings count for take-offs and grilles. Every bend adds resistance, so a layout that keeps the trunk short and the branches direct performs better than a longer, twistier one.
Safe by design
This tool sizes the cooling load and running cost only. Refrigerant handling and the electrical connection are regulated work for a qualified F-Gas and electrical engineer.
Assumptions and limits
This estimates length and fittings from a simple trunk-and-branch layout. It does not size the duct diameter for airflow or pressure drop, which depends on the unit’s output and is part of the ductwork design.
Using it with the rest of BuildMetricLab
This calculator is one step in planning the job. Pair it with the related tools in this category and across BuildMetricLab to go from a single figure to a full costed plan — a sizing figure feeds a cost estimate, a cost estimate feeds a project budget, and each result carries straight into the next tool. Every BuildMetricLab tool runs entirely in your browser — no sign-up, nothing sent to a server, and the formula is shown on the page so the maths can be audited.
Sources & methodology
Works out the total duct run length and an estimate of the fittings for a ducted air-conditioning layout. Every result is calculated from the values you enter, all inputs are editable, and no time-sensitive prices or rates are embedded.
Frequently asked questions
Does duct length affect performance?
Yes — longer runs and more bends add static pressure, which cuts airflow and can make the system noisier and less efficient.
How many fittings will I need?
Roughly two per room (a branch take-off and a register) plus the bends in the run. This tool estimates that from your layout.
Does this size the duct diameter?
No. Diameter is sized from the airflow and pressure drop, which depend on the unit output — that is part of the ductwork design.
Rigid or flexible duct?
Rigid duct performs better on long runs; short flexible connections suit the last drop to a register. The length applies to either.
Spotted something off?
Calculations or display — let us know.