What is static pressure?
Static pressure is the resistance that air pushes against as it travels through your ductwork, filters, and coils. Think of it like blood pressure for your duct system, measured in inches of water column. When static pressure is too high, the blower has to work harder to move the same amount of air, which raises noise, lowers efficiency, and can shorten the life of the equipment.
Why it's part of a good install
Static pressure is where sizing and ductwork meet. A system that's sized correctly usually moves air comfortably through the ducts a home already has. Most residential systems are designed around a total external static pressure of about 0.5 inches of water column, and trouble tends to show up when a system is oversized or the ducts are restrictive enough to push real-world readings well past that. That's why measuring static pressure during commissioning, rather than just reading the thermostat, is part of confirming that an install is actually performing the way it should.
This is also why a properly sized heat pump rarely needs a duct overhaul. As Stephen Lake puts it:
"The airflow requirements are actually much more similar to the furnace that was in place, and the vast majority of homes actually have ducting that supports that already today." (listen, 26:11)
Jetson checks static pressure as part of every install, so you are not left guessing. You can see the right-sized system and its price for your home, and read how centrally ducted heat pumps work for the ductwork side.
Common questions
What causes high static pressure? Undersized or restrictive ducts, a clogged filter, or an oversized system trying to push more air than the ducts can carry.
Does a heat pump need new ducts? Often not. A properly sized system usually needs about the same airflow as the furnace it replaced, so most existing ductwork keeps working as-is.