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Updatia and PSA: Fiberglass Ducts
Jan. 18th, 2007 01:47 pmThe Home Improvement Planning thread was updated last night. The list of 16 problems in the HVAC and Plumbing area has been reduced to 7 items, most of which are pending either a "wait-and-see" situation (#2, #8) or a "wait-for-the-right-time-of-year-and-see" (#13, #15.) #6 should actually have been mostly completed today - portions pending some more work on Justin's room. #11 will probably fall to an electrician rather than an HVAC guy, and #16 will be considered when the generator is installed - which is in the "wait-and-see-if-money's-left" category.
I really need to add a "complete HVAC ductwork" item to the list of tasks for Justin's room.
Unfortunately, we discovered that our half-bath sink has a leak where the pipe gozintah the wall. Some brilliant, penny-pinching accountant decided metal to plastic to metal to plastic to pvc pipe was acost-saving good method of installing sinks. I'm afraid of what the other plumbing fixtures - particularly those hidden by wallboard - are like if this one is already showing the failure of material A sealing properly with material B.
Speaking of short-term failure, I hope to have pictures - or links to pictures - that show exactly how monstrous the issue with the fiberglass ductwork was. The house was built slightly more than 4 years ago, and we've been there slightly less than 4 years. The airflow contact surface of the fiberglass ductwork was pilling (picture a cheap semi-shag rug with enough foot traffic to tear things up but not enough to pack it down flat) covered with a measurable accumulation of dust - far more dust in those ducts than snow on the ground this entire season (look in the back of your computer at the fan - yes, more dust than that.)
Air Dynamics will actually be presenting slices of our ductwork at a coming tradeshow, and, I believe, will also be featuring them on their website.
Looking at that ductwork, it's fairly easy to understand the breathing problems that almost all of us have had - 3 out of 5 of us have been prescribed one or more inhalers or allergy medicines since we've lived here. Prior to that, 0 out of 4 of us took any such medicine (disclaimer: I took OTC allergy meds as a kid, but had pretty much outgrown them.)
If you have fiberglass ducts, I would insist, as a friend, you do one (or more) of the following:
Evil stuff.
I won't even begin to mention the mold I found starting on the one random panel I picked up to show Deb, or the ductwork made less efficient by an excess of blown in insulation that filled it...
Anyway, progress on Justin's room will be reported later tonight or tomorrow, as I will be scheduling that work - and maybe some of the electrical in addition - tonight.
I really need to add a "complete HVAC ductwork" item to the list of tasks for Justin's room.
Unfortunately, we discovered that our half-bath sink has a leak where the pipe gozintah the wall. Some brilliant, penny-pinching accountant decided metal to plastic to metal to plastic to pvc pipe was a
Speaking of short-term failure, I hope to have pictures - or links to pictures - that show exactly how monstrous the issue with the fiberglass ductwork was. The house was built slightly more than 4 years ago, and we've been there slightly less than 4 years. The airflow contact surface of the fiberglass ductwork was pilling (picture a cheap semi-shag rug with enough foot traffic to tear things up but not enough to pack it down flat) covered with a measurable accumulation of dust - far more dust in those ducts than snow on the ground this entire season (look in the back of your computer at the fan - yes, more dust than that.)
Air Dynamics will actually be presenting slices of our ductwork at a coming tradeshow, and, I believe, will also be featuring them on their website.
Looking at that ductwork, it's fairly easy to understand the breathing problems that almost all of us have had - 3 out of 5 of us have been prescribed one or more inhalers or allergy medicines since we've lived here. Prior to that, 0 out of 4 of us took any such medicine (disclaimer: I took OTC allergy meds as a kid, but had pretty much outgrown them.)
If you have fiberglass ducts, I would insist, as a friend, you do one (or more) of the following:
- have the ductwork replaced with galvanized steel and lined flexible ductwork
- move
- buy full-face masks and alternative air-supply tanks
Evil stuff.
I won't even begin to mention the mold I found starting on the one random panel I picked up to show Deb, or the ductwork made less efficient by an excess of blown in insulation that filled it...
Anyway, progress on Justin's room will be reported later tonight or tomorrow, as I will be scheduling that work - and maybe some of the electrical in addition - tonight.
