shallow floor register

A supply register's air velocity can often be felt much farther away, so it will influence room airflow more. If that dimension is larger than the metal duct opening then that register will not work. 614/829-1200, Email: marketing@mcgillairflow.com, Website: mcgillairflow.com, the U.S. Company has offices in many U.S. states, - retrieved 12 Sept 2015, original source: http://www.mcgillairflow.com/textDocs/uniCoat/uc_install.htm. Here are some errors during original in-slab ductwork installation that show up as trouble later. Terminix had also dug a "trench" around the area where the rooms are but that has not helped either. ), 1. completely fill the return ducts with concrete, 2. seal any other basement slab cracks or other obvious radon entry points. The same principle applies to ceiling and sidewall registers. Carry samples of higher-end grilles with you and offer replacements. I'm a 63 yo disabled female so I'm looking for the easiest way for me to deal with this in the short term and while filling it in with rocks and topping off with cement is undoubtedly the RIGHT way to deal with it (and that is what I told my son should probably be done), it would require ripping out most of the closet that currently sits on top of it plus a lot of physical labour that I am no longer really up to any more. Bought a house 8 years ago built in 1960, thought it was great that the basement had in floor ducts so it would be warmer in the winter. I guess my other option is to just put the grates back and continue to ignore it but given the amount of filth that built up back there over the years, that doesn't seem like a great option either. Even if the transite air ducts look ok now, the risk of future leaks, infestations, and damage remain, and risk exposure of the building occupants to the problems described here. Odor complaints may be traced to the duct system because of these problems. Observe that the lowest floors of the building were constructed as concrete slab on grade. within a duct system and water (indicated by rusty ducts or duct registers) indicates a possible risk of mold or bacterial hazards Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors National Association, Inc. (SMACNA), [18] Uniform Mechanical Code, 2003 Edition, Appendix A: Standard for Installation of Factory-Made Air Ducts, [19] Florida Mechanical Code, Section 610: Air Distribution Systems, [21] ASTM E1368, ASTM Standard Practice for Visual Inspection of Asbestos Abatement Projects, [22] ASTM E2356, ASTM Standard Practice for Comprehensive Building Asbestos Surveys. For the last 25 years (since whenever the original furnace was replaced) or so that has all been behind vertical grates where I assume cold air return ducts were - the ducting itself, if it ever existed, is long gone. When selecting replacement grilles and registers with various air patterns, think about air mixing zone principles. We've added two sump pits in the house and we're still getting water in the ducts. But rust in ducts is a problem indicator, showing Why not fill it with stone and cement? Two principal approaches to correcting hazards associated with environmental or heating or air conditioning system functional problems traced to air ducts in floor slabs are discussed here: Our starting point for proper abandonment of the in-slab air duct system shown at left was this floor register in the home's garage. There was 30 years of dirt, dust, and dirty-dusty-cobwebs or something worse behind those grills and it seems dust and dusty odor is still hanging in the air since I tried to clean it out yesterday. The catalog of odors and gases in buildings that may be traced to an origin in the ductwork is lengthy and includes both odors/gases that originate within the duct system itself and odors or gases that are transported between building areas by the HVAC system. Or screw it down to the wall side after you slip some wood back there to preserve the clearance from the wall. - metal duct register rusted away to dirt/soil below slab - health hazard, I suspect you are right on all counts. I would consider that more troublesome and expensive step in buildings subject to rising flood waters but otherwise I'd take the simpler approach I've outlined. Also see SEWAGE CONTAMINATION in BUILDINGS. Announcing the Stacks Editor Beta release! There are spray coating duct-sealants that some contractors offer as an in-duct sealant/spray. Since the air velocity zone of a return grille is so shallow, they rarely need adjustable louvers. gas from the soil into the building air through a leaky in-slab duct can be significant, certainly greater than the movement Cut carefully to the depth that lets you pry up the top layer of flooring with a screwdriver. I have a home in Indianapolis built in the mid 50's, the in slab ducts have become quite a problem. When you go to put the register back, stick it in at a 45 and then slide it sideways as you push it down. There are no quarries anywhere near here so laying hands on rock and gravel is a problem. Energy and Buildings 30, no. The best answers are voted up and rise to the top, Start here for a quick overview of the site, Detailed answers to any questions you might have, Discuss the workings and policies of this site, Learn more about Stack Overflow the company. We describe steps taken to repair or abandon in-slab air ducts. Mark, drill and cut the sub-flooring layer to complete making the sleeve-hole. If grilles have been painted to the walls or ceiling, removing them can cause an added liability. No, not specifically; you might try both HVAC contractors who advertise ductwork services and even a concrete contractor who might advise you on filling-in your in-slab ductwork to abandon it. And Andrew Oberta has described standards methods for repairing asbestos-cement products including underground transite piping.[5]. i have slab in my house . 3. perform a long term measurement, for a year, or else for shorter intervals representing seasons when there are likely to be more upwards air currents in the home (upstairs windows open, heating season, exhaust fans in use). @Inspectapedia Com Moderator, Watch out: however if these duct debris materials are wet from any water source they may become a breeding ground for mold or other pathogens, and of course if the ducts are invaded by rodents or flooded by sewage they are unsanitary and are a health hazard to building occupants. Park, Robert, and William L. Gamble. What is the nature of a demiplane's walls? What can be done to get rid the termites?? Transite Duct Asbestos Hazards: if used for air ducts transite pipe may be a an asbestos hazard, particularly where the ducts become softened by water exposure (such as air ducts located in floor slabs), potentially releasing asbestos fibers into the building air. which can be easily upgraded to a radon remediation system Ideally the boot is taped to the floor which the register will hide. 3 years straight. Watch out: sewer gases may include multiple hazards including the risk of exploding methane gas and possible bacterial pathogens as well as VOCs that can be a respiratory irritant. During a careful site inspection you may find reason to look further into the air duct system interior for contamination rodents. @Pye, This choice will mix the supply air with room air and keep the curtains and wall hangings from blowing. "Detection of voids in grouted ducts using the impact-echo method." Any suggestions? Our photos just below demonstrate exploring the condition of an air duct in a concrete floor slab by inserting our camera (with wide angle lens) into the duct system through a floor register. Screw the side in with two screws. Locate cross-beams between the first and second floors by running the stud-finder across the ceiling. Supply Registers and Airflow Distribution. Sorry, but we cannot provide duct-in-slab blockage repair you asked about. ISBN-13: 978-0870311512. Take a close look at the air handler (blower unit) located on the lowest floor of the building, often in a basement or on occasion in a crawl space. However where radon gas is an issue, we seal the ducts at the air delivery registers in the building floor slab, as well as sealing any slab cracks that may allow radon gas to enter the building at increased levels. Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering 15, no. HOW to SEAL or (BEST) ABANDON JVAC DUCTS ROUTED IN or BELOW a FLOOR SLAB Terminix has been out 5 times since February when termites first appeared. How can I refill the toilet after the water has evaporated from disuse? However sealing for Radon, I'm thinking I'd like to put a high density plastic sheet or panel in the vent and then pour concrete over that rather than just using concrete, less permeable to gas. If there is a stain on your shirt are you allowed to scrub it or pour water on it in the 9 days? Turn off the electric power for the room you are working in. Paint can stick to the grilles and, when removed, will pull paint and drywall paper from the wall or ceiling. When you screw it in make it as flush with the floor as possible. Divide the length or width of a square hole by two to determine the center. That's a custom cut register to fit so close to the wall; you don't want a new one or you'll just have to do that again (which isn't fun). The hole dimensions are therefore 11 1/4 inches by 11 1/4 inches. On 2020-03-31 by (mod) - Termites in slab HVAC ductwork. Our photos below illustrate very dirty, debris-laden HVAC air ducts. Zhu, Jinying, and John S. Popovics. You cut a small hole in the ceiling to check that there are no electric wires or other obstacles to placing the register sleeve. wide by 8 in. Mark each corner of the 4 x 4 square with a nail hole. Centering the 4 x 4 square within the larger dimensions means that the centered nail will be 5 5/8 inch from every side of the larger square. Better still, see our recommended article Gets rid of termites for few days/hours, then back again. (We realize the true radon level number varies by weather, season, and more significantly air movement patterns in the building. I had the house painted shortly after purchase in the course of which we removed two ducts under this closet on the front wall in the hallway and on a side wall in the living room at floor level, to discover a lot of filth and a 15" PVC pipe that is all smashed up and about 3' deep. and cooling ducts in older buildings. My OPINION, which is just that as we have no data, is that the lining step is unnecessary. Take a look at the dirt and black sludge on the bottom of the air duct visible through this floor register. All of these are described individually and in greater detail within this article. Survey have rated every county in the United States as Zone 1 to 3 for radon risk. Sections 2 and 3 are checklists with detailed discussions for clean-up or abatement in crawl spaces. The previous owners didn't disclose of this problem but anyhow, it's our problem now. Try the search box just below, or if you prefer, post a question or comment in the Comments box below and we will respond promptly. "Interaction of an air system with concrete core conditioning." We have a house on a concrete slab. At below right the fiberglass-duct was invaded by plant roots and appears to be collapsing. ISBN-10: 0471648361, ISBN-13: 978-0471648369, Hardcover: 320 pages, available from Amazon.com and also. (My answer is based on that assumption, let me know if that is not correct.). In addition to blocking air flow, moisture or water in the duct system invites allergenic or pathogenic mold growth therein as well as bacterial or other health hazards that can be transmitted to the occupied space in the building as air moves through the duct system. Roll back wall-to-wall carpet, if necessary. FREE shipping over $99.Good Sam members: FREE shipping over $69. I currently have 4 to 6 inches of water in my underground cement air return. I prefer either using split systems or of course ducts that do not run in the slab but rather in walls and ceilings. You may have been misled by a photo I used in the article above. In order to absolutely assure our readers that we write and report without bias we do not sell any products nor do we have any business or financial relationships that could create such conflicts of interest. If the home had no in-slab ducts then what you set could have been an air return or a combustion air supply, or something else. Stack Exchange network consists of 181 Q&A communities including Stack Overflow, the largest, most trusted online community for developers to learn, share their knowledge, and build their careers. You'll notice that most of these address water entry or condensation in the duct system. How does JWST position itself to see and resolve an exact target? Reprinted by permission of Contracting Business. Air quality hazards of in-slab duct systems include rodent infestations in ductwork, dirt and debris accumulation which then is returned to the building indoor air or that serves as a breeding ground for pathogens, radon gas hazards, and water leaks into the duct system which can in turn generate a Bathrooms and kitchen were tiled by the original homeowner, there is carpet everywhere else. Ethical implications of using scraped e-mail addresses for survey, Sci-fi movie where some humans (possibly on another planet) stumble upon a huge lost ship with technology better than anything they had. We filled the HVAC ducts at the supply registers and then sealed that surface by installation of a new ceramic tile floor. We suspected that the duct system had been repeatedly flooded by ground waters, possibly including organic debris or even sewage that could contribute to an indoor odor complaint. Anyway I was hoping to construct plugs in the duct not fill it. This is a rental home and Im seriously concerned that this may be an issue that the owner wont want to fix, This Q&A were posted originally at WET CORRODED DUCT WORK, How do you clean out ducts and prevent molds, I love in a 31year old house on a slab and every once in awhile I see a green piece of looks like paper in register, can you tell me what that might be? For the past eight years we've had water in the ducts during spring thaw or when we've had torrential rain. The return grille's primary function is to cover the ends of ductwork where they connect to each room. Can I just box around it - I am wallboarding over where the grills were mounted on the wall, it was all just open space and dirt back in there - or had I better do something more definitive about it (and if so, what)? Let's take a look at several of these riddles and how understanding them can help improve HVAC systems. When referring to a mixed batch of grilles and registers, the term grilles can describe a combination of both. That doesn't look like PVC to me - I see what looks like a spiral assembly pattern and a papery-like material. Dan, I have Sub Slab air returns in my Tucson home (my delivery ducts are above slab) which appear to be rectangular metal ducting. A brief summary about InspectAPedia.com can be read at ABOUT InspectApedia.com - https://inspectapedia.com/Admin/About_InspectApedia.php, On 2021-09-01 radon/zonemap.html. It is at least 3' deep and I am concerned about future moisture issues because it is so freaking deep and I don't know what's down there. McGill Air Flow, LLC., "Uni-Coat Installation Guidelines for Installing Underground Duct", McGill AirFlow, LLC, McGill AirFlow Headquarters Potential health concerns from mice and rats include not only fleas or odors, but potential pathogens such as hantavirus. How to repair buckled duct work inside wall? Asking for help, clarification, or responding to other answers. Transite pipe used as HVAC ducts or air ducts for heating and air conditioning was often installed buried in a concrete floor slab - methods that placed Journal of engineering mechanics 133, no. I can look in my ducts with my phone and see very large cracks, showing pea gravel where foundation was poured. Which book should I choose to get into the Lisp World? InspectAPedia.com provides building and environmental diagnostic and repair information. Assuming It's 1800s! I invite you to spend an hour studying different register and grille data. In other sections of this home the concrete floor, originally covered with carpeting, was re-covered using ceramic tile, adding a final layer of sealant as well as a cosmetic improvement. Keith you want to find a local HVAC installer.Sorry, but we cannot provide the product or service that you asked about. Our Comment Box is provided by Countable Web Productions countable.ca, Click to Show or Hide Citations & References, AIRBORNE PARTICLE & MOLD LEVELS in DUCTWORK, Best Practices Guide to Residential Construction, HOW to ABANDON IN-SLAB & OTHER TRANSITE ASBESTOS HVAC DUCTS, HOME INSPECTION EDUCATION COURSES (Canada), HOME INSPECTION EDUCATION: HOME STUDY COURSES, Recognize that the building uses air ducts for heating, cooling, or both, Observe the presence of air supply or return registers in the lowest floors of the building.

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