Folks, I just received an estimate that I think is way too high for 5
runs of AC duct work in my small home. What is involved if I attempt
to do it myself? Any Gotchas?
I appreciate all advice, and if any websites or other information, I
would be most grateful.
Thanks so much in advance, Richard

it's a messy job for an occupied home. use a contractor and you can
blame the mess on him
see:
http://www.buildingscience.com/resources/homeowner.htm

On 1-10 its usualy a 1 if you have the tools and an easy area to work
in.

"Richard" wrote in message
oups.com...
Folks, I just received an estimate that I think is way too high for 5
runs of AC duct work in my small home. What is involved if I attempt
to do it myself? Any Gotchas?
I appreciate all advice, and if any websites or other information, I
would be most grateful.
Thanks so much in advance, Richard


I can't see your house, but there can be plenty of "gotchas". I don't know
your skill level either. Or your ability to make a custom section if
needed. Or to cut hole sin walls or floors or closets.

"Richard" wrote in message
oups.com...
Folks, I just received an estimate that I think is way too high for 5
runs of AC duct work in my small home. What is involved if I attempt
to do it myself? Any Gotchas?
I appreciate all advice, and if any websites or other information, I
would be most grateful.
Thanks so much in advance, Richard



Planning your runs and how you are going to accomplish them. Take a lot of
measurements.
Sizing of ducts to get the correct volume and velocity of air.
Drawing detailed diagrams for a fabricator to make pieces for you. Not all
fittings are off the shelf.
Working with sheet metal (Many sharp edges) - Need some specialized hand
tools and good gloves.
Cutting holes in walls and ceilings without damaging more than is necessary.
Caulking duct connections so as to not lose precious air.
Insulating ducts to get the maximum efficiency.
A lot of patience if you are not used to this type of work.
A hot tub would be good to have to help ease the aches and pains.

Folks, let me explain. This is a house that is ~10 years old, and has
the original flexible duct. I hope to just replace the duct, and
perhaps the vents, so I don't plan on cutting any holes in walls and
ceilings etc., just perhaps install new vents and connect the duct work
to them.

Richard wrote:
Folks, let me explain. This is a house that is ~10 years old, and has
the original flexible duct. I hope to just replace the duct, and
perhaps the vents, so I don't plan on cutting any holes in walls and
ceilings etc., just perhaps install new vents and connect the duct
work to them.

Is this a HV (high velocity) system?

--
Joseph Meehan

Dia duit

Not that I am aware of, it is just a regular 3 ton unit.

"Joseph Meehan" wrote in message
news
Richard wrote:
Folks, let me explain. This is a house that is ~10 years old, and has
the original flexible duct. I hope to just replace the duct, and
perhaps the vents, so I don't plan on cutting any holes in walls and
ceilings etc., just perhaps install new vents and connect the duct
work to them.

Sounds simple to me.

First, install several lights. That one attic bulb isn't going to cut it.

First, though, take out the existing ducting. A real PITA, since it went in
there when there was no roof on, but it isn't that hard to cut it into small
pieces and hand it down the attic access stairs. Have a good supply of
Band-Aids and first aid supplies handy.

Move and reconnect the existing wires that you have disturbed and messed up
during the previous step.

Fix any holes you may have made in the ceiling by stepping on the sheetrock
in the previous two steps.

Enlarge ceiling access to allow the new pieces of ductwork to be put into
the space. Be sure to brace up the joists you cut so it doesn't fall into
the room below. You may have to cut more than one new attic access points
to get your ductwork up there, and you may have to cut a lot of joists.

Crawl around on old insulation to maneuver the ducts.

Tape them together in cramped spaces. If you have any children, put them to
work. Those small arms and tiny fingers can get into some of the tight
spaces.

Make new connectors to fit them snugly to the existing registers in the
rooms.

Repair the joist/s you had to cut to get these things up there.

Repair all the holes where you stepped on the sheetrock and broke into the
room below.

All in all, a pretty simple sounding job to me.

Steve

Richard wrote:
Folks, I just received an estimate that I think is way too high for 5
runs of AC duct work in my small home. What is involved if I attempt
to do it myself? Any Gotchas?
I appreciate all advice, and if any websites or other information, I
would be most grateful.


Why do you need to replace duct runs in a 10 year old house?

Richard wrote:
Not that I am aware of, it is just a regular 3 ton unit.

How big are the ducts? If they are like three inch, then they are
likely HV. If they are like 6 - 8 inch then you should be good to go. It
should not include any rocket science. Be careful.

Good Luck.

--
Joseph Meehan

Dia duit

JohnH wrote:
Richard wrote:
Folks, I just received an estimate that I think is way too high for 5
runs of AC duct work in my small home. What is involved if I attempt
to do it myself? Any Gotchas?
I appreciate all advice, and if any websites or other information, I
would be most grateful.


Why do you need to replace duct runs in a 10 year old house?

They are flex duct. Flex duct is junk but sometimes necessary.

--
Joseph Meehan

Dia duit

"Richard" wrote in message
ups.com...
Folks, let me explain. This is a house that is ~10 years old, and has
the original flexible duct. I hope to just replace the duct, and
perhaps the vents, so I don't plan on cutting any holes in walls and
ceilings etc., just perhaps install new vents and connect the duct work
to them.


It is not too difficult to replace hose, but I am wondering why you are
considering reinstalling something that has only lasted you ten years.

"Steve B" wrote in message
news:KTMPf.680$wp.660@fed1read12...

"Joseph Meehan" wrote in message
news
Richard wrote:
Folks, let me explain. This is a house that is ~10 years old, and has
the original flexible duct. I hope to just replace the duct, and
perhaps the vents, so I don't plan on cutting any holes in walls and
ceilings etc., just perhaps install new vents and connect the duct
work to them.

Sounds simple to me.

First, install several lights. That one attic bulb isn't going to cut it.

First, though, take out the existing ducting. A real PITA, since it went
in
there when there was no roof on, but it isn't that hard to cut it into
small
pieces and hand it down the attic access stairs. Have a good supply of
Band-Aids and first aid supplies handy.


Excuse me? In my area, the attic duct runs were put in after the roof was
on. Sometimes the shingles had aready been installed, making it even
hotter!

Now, if you're talking about the ceilings, no, they weren't in.

"HeatMan" wrote in message
...

"Steve B" wrote in message
news:KTMPf.680$wp.660@fed1read12...

"Joseph Meehan" wrote in message
news
Richard wrote:
Folks, let me explain. This is a house that is ~10 years old, and has
the original flexible duct. I hope to just replace the duct, and
perhaps the vents, so I don't plan on cutting any holes in walls and
ceilings etc., just perhaps install new vents and connect the duct
work to them.

Sounds simple to me.

First, install several lights. That one attic bulb isn't going to cut
it.

First, though, take out the existing ducting. A real PITA, since it went
in
there when there was no roof on, but it isn't that hard to cut it into
small
pieces and hand it down the attic access stairs. Have a good supply of
Band-Aids and first aid supplies handy.


Excuse me? In my area, the attic duct runs were put in after the roof was
on. Sometimes the shingles had aready been installed, making it even
hotter!

Now, if you're talking about the ceilings, no, they weren't in.



WHOOSH!

Sorry if you missed my point. I will type it again slowly .......

It's a tough job any way you go at it.

YMMV.

Steve

"Steve B" wrote in message
news:5r0Qf.42339$V27.8620@fed1read06...

"HeatMan" wrote in message
...

"Steve B" wrote in message
news:KTMPf.680$wp.660@fed1read12...

"Joseph Meehan" wrote in message
news Richard wrote:
Folks, let me explain. This is a house that is ~10 years old, and
has
the original flexible duct. I hope to just replace the duct, and
perhaps the vents, so I don't plan on cutting any holes in walls and
ceilings etc., just perhaps install new vents and connect the duct
work to them.

Sounds simple to me.

First, install several lights. That one attic bulb isn't going to cut
it.

First, though, take out the existing ducting. A real PITA, since it
went
in
there when there was no roof on, but it isn't that hard to cut it into
small
pieces and hand it down the attic access stairs. Have a good supply of
Band-Aids and first aid supplies handy.


Excuse me? In my area, the attic duct runs were put in after the roof
was
on. Sometimes the shingles had aready been installed, making it even
hotter!

Now, if you're talking about the ceilings, no, they weren't in.



WHOOSH!

Sorry if you missed my point. I will type it again slowly .......

It's a tough job any way you go at it.


For you, maybe.

"HeatMan" wrote in message
...

"Steve B" wrote in message
news:5r0Qf.42339$V27.8620@fed1read06...

"HeatMan" wrote in message
...

"Steve B" wrote in message
news:KTMPf.680$wp.660@fed1read12...

"Joseph Meehan" wrote in message
news Richard wrote:
Folks, let me explain. This is a house that is ~10 years old, and
has
the original flexible duct. I hope to just replace the duct, and
perhaps the vents, so I don't plan on cutting any holes in walls
and
ceilings etc., just perhaps install new vents and connect the duct
work to them.

Sounds simple to me.

First, install several lights. That one attic bulb isn't going to cut
it.

First, though, take out the existing ducting. A real PITA, since it
went
in
there when there was no roof on, but it isn't that hard to cut it into
small
pieces and hand it down the attic access stairs. Have a good supply
of
Band-Aids and first aid supplies handy.


Excuse me? In my area, the attic duct runs were put in after the roof
was
on. Sometimes the shingles had aready been installed, making it even
hotter!

Now, if you're talking about the ceilings, no, they weren't in.



WHOOSH!

Sorry if you missed my point. I will type it again slowly .......

It's a tough job any way you go at it.


For you, maybe.

Surely for me.

Probably not for you, since you have lots of experience.

How about for the OP?

Steve

John Grabowski wrote:
"Richard" wrote in message
ups.com...
Folks, let me explain. This is a house that is ~10 years old, and
has the original flexible duct. I hope to just replace the duct, and
perhaps the vents, so I don't plan on cutting any holes in walls and
ceilings etc., just perhaps install new vents and connect the duct
work to them.


It is not too difficult to replace hose, but I am wondering why you
are considering reinstalling something that has only lasted you ten
years.

That's a good point. I was assuming the replacement would be metal
rather than the flex stuff originally put in. Metal would certainly be an
upgrade. However I am not sure the OP indicated he was planning metal.

--
Joseph Meehan

Dia duit

No, I am planning on using the flex duct because the metal is more
difficult to join and more expensive (chief reason). And the house is
~20 years old, not 10. Sorry if I said that earlier, but it is past
time for us to replace the duct.

I'm sorry, I meant to say ~20 years old. And the metal duct work is
much more expensive, not to say more difficult to join. While I'm at
it, I plan to replace all the vent cans and grills.

Richard wrote:
No, I am planning on using the flex duct because the metal is more
difficult to join and more expensive (chief reason). And the house is
~20 years old, not 10. Sorry if I said that earlier, but it is past
time for us to replace the duct.

Ductwork can go bad? Or is it like changing oil, just something you do every
3000 miles or so?

What are the signs?

If the ducts are approx 20 y/o, the are most likely the grey plastic
covered ones. They were pure junk at best. The outer cover crumbles over
time, regardless of where it is located, but if it is where any sunlight
can get to it (gable vent, under turbine vents, etc.) it will pretty
much turn into powder in a very short time. The new flex duct is about
1000 times better. The outer jacket is UV resistant silver Mylar, and
the insulation is thicker. A word of caution, HD/Lowes at one time
carried some flex duct that was not much better that the grey junk, and
it cost at least as much as the high quality stuff. We use a lot of
"Atco" brand and have had good luck with it. Pay the extra money and get
R8 insulation (2" thick) rather than the R6 (1.5"). Beyond that, just
swapping out flex duct , keeping sizes and everything the same, should
be a fairly easy DIY project. Good luck Larry

Richard wrote:
I'm sorry, I meant to say ~20 years old. And the metal duct work is
much more expensive, not to say more difficult to join. While I'm at
it, I plan to replace all the vent cans and grills.

How long do you give wall studs?

Richard wrote:
No, I am planning on using the flex duct because the metal is more
difficult to join and more expensive (chief reason). And the house is
~20 years old, not 10. Sorry if I said that earlier, but it is past
time for us to replace the duct.

Don't use flex duct. The stuff may be easier to use, but it also is far
less efficient at moving air and as you have found out, has a shorter life.
Do it right once and you don't need to do it again. Use metal.

--
Joseph Meehan

Dia duit

"HeyBub" wrote in message
...
Richard wrote:
No, I am planning on using the flex duct because the metal is more
difficult to join and more expensive (chief reason). And the house is
~20 years old, not 10. Sorry if I said that earlier, but it is past
time for us to replace the duct.

Ductwork can go bad? Or is it like changing oil, just something you do
every 3000 miles or so?

What are the signs?


"Here's yer sign...."

;-]