You asked....

"Jeffrey J. Kosowsky" wrote in message
...
"HeatMan" writes:
Well, SVL answered your questions..... And you are one cheap
(something-or-other).
Consider that many of my questions are about getting better quality,
not sure why you would get that impression...
There is a difference between not wanting to get ripped off and "cheap"


But you seen to be the cheap kind....


Why do you post your questions here? You say that you have had several
HVAC
contractors look at it. They can see it and we can't.

Read on...

Well, contractors are in the business of "selling" you something. So,
when they see something that is not right, their tendency is to sell
you a new solution (not all, but many). I was hoping that I would get
a less biased opinion on this newsgroup.


Less biased? Here? Thankfully, I wasn't drinking anything when I read that
line. I have nothing to gain by posting here, I'm only trying to help by
offering my opinion.

Your answers though were *very* helpful. [SEE MY COMMENTS BELOW]


See above lines...


"Jeffrey J. Kosowsky" wrote in message
...
The previous homeowner did a DIY job of installing a new furnace using
a twisted maze of flex duct to make all the supply and return runs in
the basement.


That's one of the reasons the HVAC pro's don't like HO's to do their own
work.


Several heating contractors have advised us that flex is not intended
for long runs and that this is the most flex they have ever
seen. Also, there are no dampers and in some areas the flex is pinched
and the insulation tearing.


That's true. I don't much need for manual dampers around here, though

Well, the house is very old, uninsulated, and originally was designed
as gravity hot air. So my thought is that the system might need a fair
bit of manual balancing.


You didn't say that. You have a converted gravity system? They just tied
the flex on to that? OMG, that's crazy....



Couple of questions:
- Is replacing flex with rigid sheet metal duct work generally
worthwile?


I don't know. I would in *my* house. I don't have a lot of use for
long
flex runs and won't warranty them on jobs the HO's or contractor asks
for
it.


- Is it better to use custom sheet metal fabricated to fit tightly
between the joists or should we go with standard "round" ducts?


How much money do you want to spend? Custom metal can cost 1.5 times
the
price of standard metal.
1.5x is not that bad, considering that materials is only a portion of
total cost, right?


Then you add labor and overhead.



More generally are there different qualities of sheet metal that
we should be concerned about?


You mean the gauge (thickness) of the metal? Most round duct around
here is
28 or 30 gauge. Rect duct is usually 28 gauge, IIRC.

Would you recommend going for #28 over #30, if given choice?


Actually, it would depend on the application.



- One contractor talked about "vinyl clad duct insulation". Is that
a good insulation solution?


Fiberglass duct wrap is on the way out and something has to replace it.
The
vynil clad bubble wrap looks like the replacement, but it takes training
to
do it correctly.

So, this is a good quality choice, right? Are there different grades
to be concerned about?


I haven't used it yet on any FA jobs. The ones I've seen it used on looked
sloppy. I don't know about the grades, if any.



- What types of dampers should we be installing for best results?


Manual dampers? For air balance? If the ducting is done correctly, you
won't need dampers for balancing.


- Any other questions we should be asking regarding duct work?

Will you be getting a performance warranty? Will the duct work be
sealed?
Can I get a contractors discount?

You should better read the thread on contractor's discount -- the
original question was about DIY projects not about jobs like this
where a contractor is used.

That seemed to be your concern, getting it cheap.

FYI, this is the end. Any more questions for me on this topic, email me.