Replaced my HVAC ducts - finally finished :)

[Tidybuoy]

I bought a 95-yr old house in December and I'm refurbishing to become a traveling nurse rental house. Projects consist of remodeling the kitchen, painting the interior, and some landscaping. BUT, sometimes you encounter the "while your in their" projects.

Since I have the kitchen subfloor mostly pulled up in the kitchen, I'm able to access the underneath of the house. This is where I discovered that most of the HVAC ducts were leaking at the seams. The entire ducting system was 3-4' pieces screwed together with 1 single sheet metal screw and then taped.

I replaced the entire under house ducts with insulated flexible ducts (about 9 of them). I finished the last one last night. Lots of crawling around on my stomach military style but I'm very happy I finished the job. It took me a week.

Now back to my electrical work.

Removing Old Ducts:


Taking to the dumpster:


Squeezing my fat butt under the house:


Installed:


More Installed:

[Baz]

Very nice, Vern.

I've been looking at some YT videos about DIY HVAC work and it's encouraging to see your re-do duct thread!

Here is one of the videos......doesn't look like a big deal other than the crawling around stuff and the temperature conditions, depending on time of year you do the work.

[Tidybuoy]

Originally Posted by Baz

Here is one of the videos......doesn't look like a big deal other than the crawling around stuff and the temperature conditions, depending on time of year you do the work.

Actually, it's pretty cool under my house and even cooler with the AC running and a couple of ducts removed. And, this is our hottest time of the year.

Other than crawling around, it's a very easy process. The inner duct is a pretty tight fit which I secured with hvac tape and then a specialized zip tie. I recommend getting the tool for tightening the ties as it cinches it down tight and then has a cutter for the excess. After the inner duct is secure, you wrap the end with the built-in insulation and pull up the outer foil, which I taped and cinched with a second tie. Guaranteed, this won't come undone without wire cutters. Lastly, it's a good idea to hang the ducts with duct strapping as that keeps it off the ground and less susceptible to rodents.

It actually made the system noticeably quieter as well as more efficient.

[Zeke]

Asbestos. Good thing it was DIY.

[Baz]

Originally Posted by Tidybuoy

Actually, it's pretty cool under my house and even cooler with the AC running and a couple of ducts removed. And, this is our hottest time of the year.

Other than crawling around, it's a very easy process. The inner duct is a pretty tight fit which I secured with hvac tape and then a specialized zip tie. I recommend getting the tool for tightening the ties as it cinches it down tight and then has a cutter for the excess. After the inner duct is secure, you wrap the end with the built-in insulation and pull up the outer foil, which I taped and cinched with a second tie. Guaranteed, this won't come undone without wire cutters. Lastly, it's a good idea to hang the ducts with duct strapping as that keeps it off the ground and less susceptible to rodents.

It actually made the system noticeably quieter as well as more efficient.

Mine is all up in the attic. This time of year in Florida.......no thanks! I can wait until winter.

Can you post a pic/link for that tool you mentioned for the zip ties? Thanks!

[masraum]

Originally Posted by Baz

Mine is all up in the attic. This time of year in Florida.......no thanks! I can wait until winter.

Can you post a pic/link for that tool you mentioned for the zip ties? Thanks!

Years ago, I added a bunch of roll insulation to our attic in Houston in late May or early June. It was MISERABLE, but totally worth it.

I got quotes for insulation, and everyone wanted to use the sprayed in crap which I didn't like the idea of. What I found was that there was some Johns Manville that has the insulation fully encapsulated in a thin tube which REALLY cuts down on the itchyness of f/g insulation.

On the matter of ducting, all of the ducting in our home is insulated flexible duct that is, I believe ~30-35 years old. It seems to work remarkably well despite the fact that I understand rigid metal ducting to be greatly preferred for functionality and efficiency.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by Tidybuoy

I bought a 95-yr old house in December and I'm refurbishing to become a traveling nurse rental house. Projects consist of remodeling the kitchen, painting the interior, and some landscaping. BUT, sometimes you encounter the "while your in their" projects.

I replaced the entire under house ducts with insulated flexible ducts (about 9 of them). I finished the last one last night. Lots of crawling around on my stomach military style but I'm very happy I finished the job. It took me a week.

Squeezing my fat butt under the house:


Installed:

Very nice! I've done a lot of work in our crawlspace and attic. It's miserable work, especially in the heat. The ground under our house is hard as a rock and lumpy. Some places under our house have 18" of clearance and other places it's down to 10".

Very well done!

[Zeke]

I have my old karting race suit. Since fire retardant suits for karts make as much sense as they would be for MC racing, it's like a tough Nylon. Scoots really well down there in the dirt and keeps me pretty clean at that. I think though, I have made my last trip under a house.

[A930Rocket]

Nice work!

At the boots, they usually apply a mastic to complete the seal. I’m sure the two zip ties will keep it sealed for a long, long time.

My parents old house used the rigid duct and cloth duct tape. I remember looking at it years ago and the cloth duct tape was falling off. It had to be leaking like a sieve.

[jyl]

Nice ducting work.

Tell me about the traveling nurse thing. How do you find them, how long do they typically stay, do they pay reliably/well? Seems like a better alternative to an AirBnB?

[john70t]

Nice. Cardboard will make the spelunking-back-shimmy-dance a little easier.

[Gogar]

Nice!

try to wear goggles when you can! Everything bad that gets in your lungs gets in your eyes too! Especially that thing that Zeke mentioned. I had the same stuff but had to pay a guy to plastic up the whole basement.

[Tidybuoy]

Originally Posted by Zeke

Asbestos. Good thing it was DIY.

Asbestos for sure. I wore a Tyvek suit and respirator when removing the old ducts.

Originally Posted by Baz

Can you post a pic/link for that tool you mentioned for the zip ties?

Will do but won't be over there until Thursday.

Originally Posted by Zeke

I have my old karting race suit. Since fire retardant suits for karts make as much sense as they would be for MC racing, it's like a tough Nylon. Scoots really well down there in the dirt and keeps me pretty clean at that. I think though, I have made my last trip under a house.

My Tyvek suits are disposable but are like plastic coated paper and make it easy to slide on the ground. Plus keeps you reasonably clean.

Originally Posted by A930Rocket

At the boots, they usually apply a mastic to complete the seal.

Instead of Mastic, I used HVAC sealing tape which is like foil but extremely sticky. There are two zip ties at the end of the run 1) the inner duct is taped, zip tied, and taped again. The outer silver sleave is done the same way.

Originally Posted by jyl

Tell me about the traveling nurse thing. How do you find them, how long do they typically stay, do they pay reliably/well? Seems like a better alternative to an AirBnB?

I currently have two sources. A lady in our car club and on our board, is a nurse and she places nurses. She is always looking for places for the various nurses. They do 12- or 13-week contracts and they pay pretty well. In my case, it will be a roommate situation as this house has 3 large bedrooms. My nurse friend tells me that they are used to bunking up and usually have different schedules. They will have complete access to this house (kitchen, living room, office, yard, laundry). My second source is my neighbor across the street from my house. She places traveling pharmacists. Apparently, there is a high demand for medical people in our town. I haven't rented yet, but I plan to be ready by the first of the year.

Also, there is a traveling nurse facebook page (I have not visited yet). I'm told to go there because I will see all of the competition and what people are offering. I haven't been on facebook in about 10 years (tired of arguing politics with family) but I will have to rejoin soon.

Originally Posted by Gogar

Nice!

try to wear goggles when you can! Everything bad that gets in your lungs gets in your eyes too! Especially that thing that Zeke mentioned. I had the same stuff but had to pay a guy to plastic up the whole basement.

I probably should have worn goggles but I didn't. Fortunately, I didn't have any problems and since the ducts were connected with one screw each, they came apart easily and I didn't have much of the asbestos falling off.

[A930Rocket]

Originally Posted by jyl

Nice ducting work.

Tell me about the traveling nurse thing. How do you find them, how long do they typically stay, do they pay reliably/well? Seems like a better alternative to an AirBnB?

Ms Rocket is a traveling nurse. There are websites that cater to them. Contracts are usually three months for her, but can be extended. The pay is great and she gets a stipend for lodging and food.

[jyl]

seems much better to rent to a traveling nurse than some party hearties looking for an AirBnB to trash!

[bob deluke]

When I ran flex duct to the cans, I just pulled the inner liner over the can, tie wrapped it and shot a tech screw through the tie wrap into the can, about 180 degrees from each other. Duct never slipped off. I saw a lot of ductwork slip off the can even with the tie wrap installed, and taped but no tech screw. Good job by the way tidybuoy…

[Tidybuoy]

Originally Posted by bob deluke

When I ran flex duct to the cans, I just pulled the inner liner over the can, tie wrapped it and shot a tech screw through the tie wrap into the can, about 180 degrees from each other. Duct never slipped off. I saw a lot of ductwork slip off the can even with the tie wrap installed, and taped but no tech screw. Good job by the way tidybuoy…

All of the duct cans had a 1/4" raised rib which is used for pulling the duct over and then zip tie. This way, the duct and tie cannot slip over this "speed bump. I think it will all hold together.

[bob deluke]

LOL, back in the day, cans were smooth sided, no ridge. Somebody finally smartened up and put a ridge in the can for obvious reasons. Believe me, a lot of flex duct fell off the cans blowing cold air everywhere but the conditioned space. Customers were not happy..

[masraum]

Originally Posted by jyl

Nice ducting work.

Tell me about the traveling nurse thing. How do you find them, how long do they typically stay, are they expensive?

FIFY

Originally Posted by jyl

seems much better to rent a traveling nurse!

FIFY

Originally Posted by A930Rocket

Ms Rocket is a traveling nurse. There are websites that cater to them. Contracts are usually three months for her, but can be extended. The pay is great and she gets a stipend for lodging and food.

Oh, wait, nevermind...

I did initially do a double take on JYL's first post, "how do you find them and how long do they stay..."

[masraum]

Originally Posted by Tidybuoy

Asbestos for sure. I wore a Tyvek suit and respirator when removing the old ducts.

My Tyvek suits are disposable but are like plastic coated paper and make it easy to slide on the ground. Plus keeps you reasonably clean.

I have been wearing cheap tyvek suits when crawling under the house. They do increase make it hot and more sweaty, but keep you much cleaner. And I think it's easier than crawling in a shirt and pants that would be moving around a lot.

Instead of Mastic, I used HVAC sealing tape which is like foil but extremely sticky. There are two zip ties at the end of the run 1) the inner duct is taped, zip tied, and taped again. The outer silver sleave is done the same way.

If you're double taping and wrapping around so that the tape is overlapping itself, you're probably fine, but you may want to check the tape after a couple months of heat and then after the winter just to make sure that it's holding well. I've been using the same under my house (seams of foil lined foam board insulation). Some of it holds really well, and sometimes it's doesn't. It may have been that one brand that I bought was not as good as the other, I'm not sure.