Performance Duct Design & Installation: Advanced DIY

[@Carnage1975]

Advice for beginners: I've been installing heating systems in new homes for over 25 years and I just recently bought a pair of attachable uni-shears for my drill because of all my arthritis, carpel-tunnel, tennis elbow, golfer's elbow and bursitis. I'm pushing 50yrs old and I'm practically crippled by cutting thousands of miles of sheet metal by hand. I also bought that circular cutting tool but can't get the hang of it and getting burrs. I've mastered cutting metal without burrs but the pain in my wrist these days is killing me. I always worked piece pay and the older you get the less money you make. Pick the right employer that allows progression and seniority without bias or you will end up like me. I make less money today as an experienced journeyman than I did in my 20's as an apprentice. The piece pay hardly went up over the years and definitely not in par with inflation. Try to work for an hourly rate where you can.

[@2brazy4ubitch]

I didn't realize piecework was even legal unless you were a self sufficient contractor

[@pastorofmuppets777]

@@2brazy4ubitchi bet you dont realize alot 😂😂

[@rq74ever]

I'm an installer as well and always worked piece rate with all 3 companies. Went hourly 4 years ago and now I make more money but can take the time to make my installs look nice and work correctly. I'm hoping in the future to get even more experience and seniority and eventually get a management position 👍

[@BlackOTR1]

I don't think I have ever seen such a detailed duct and HVAC video on KZbin before. Great details, great video. 👍🏾

[@HomePerformance]

Thank you!!

[@TheJephte]

Thank you

[@TheJephte]

You have anyone that can help? In GA

[@HomePerformance]

Are you building the ductwork yourself?

[@HomePerformance]

My friend, I am not trying to do this work for anyone else. This is my house. And your comments scream of a lack of home-as-a-system thinking. There is no elevation of mold, humidity, or contaminants in the home generally when all the systems are working together. Your HVAC does not have to fix problems in a home like this. I hope you get to work on one sometime, it’s pretty awesome.

[@jayworley1583]

"I'm recommending a total duct replacement" Of course you do, it doubles or triples the money you make. Now, that's not to say they're aren't times this is needed. Flex is fine so long as it's installed properly. To say otherwise is simply spreading FUD.

[@rodgraff1782]

Scoops are really bad for downstream airflow. The 45 degree take off is a much better way to go. This has been proven on the bubble machine. Great system other than the scoops. I with everything had to be put in like this. It would eliminate so many problems in the field

[@lynhnn]

I really like the video and what you are doing and showing "working really hard to get the good things!!!". You have the knowledge and the experience to speak and doing what you are doing. It is, however, a bit harder to retrofit an old house with very little wiggle room. I hope you'll have a video on improve an existing old house ductwork. I love the idea of saying goodbye to flex duct. After seeing mice biting and making home inside a leftover flex in the garage, I decided to replace all newer flex return ducts in the attic with metal ones. It's a dauting task but like you said "good things" doesn't come easy. I would recommend you get a better drill. M12 is a more compact and light weight to lug around in tight spaces than this bulky cheapo one :).

[@HomePerformance]

Right on, and yes, I would get a smaller drill if I was making a habit of this kind of work.

[@atheldown]

I've been preparing to install new ductwork in my house. Your in-depth explanation will save me so many pitfalls along the way! Thank you so much for taking the time to make this video.

[@HomePerformance]

Excellent to hear, Mike! Happy it helps you.

[@straightcash5270]

Used a lot of duct sealant on that connection. Flex is good in certain situations and it holds up pretty well. The snips they have other red ones that’s righty snips. Crimp tool is mandatory. System looks good. Doing duct work without the right tools is a nightmare.

[@williammarik6159]

Thank you for your views on flex duct. As an hvac contractor,i use flex-duct very sparingly only for the final few feet of runs for sound purposes. Yes,flex duct will breakdown. I,ve torn out many duct systems where the old flex would simply crumble. Hard duct is expensive and time consuming and your customer needs to know this. A well educated customer is your best customer.

[@HomePerformance]

Great to hear from pros who think the way you do, William!

[@chopps7601]

Flex are just for the registers.and drops

[@rodgraff1782]

Thanks for talking about the downsides of flex duct. It should not be used for the complete system. You are doing things the correct way.

[@cindianderson9443]

Awesome video! You are very good at explaining things. And it's nothing like hearing from someone who is doing the actual work on their own home. You didn't mention the worst part of flex duct. It can't be cleaned! Dust will get in, then any moisture gets in and mold will grow. Any holes in that wimpy plastic, and the fiberglass fills with mold. There are so many moldy HVAC ducts around. (Not in your house of course because you've designed and built it to prevent that!) But what is that black "heavier duty flex" you showed? I've never seen that.

[@HomePerformance]

Thanks Cindi- good points. That black flex I found online, called the Terrabloom 10” 4-layer flex.

[@performancebasedheatingair8006]

If you where to look down the flex duct you would see that where each of those straps are it creates a bump inside the duct. SO even taunt it has bumps internally. Its actually just the weight of the ductwork and the fact that the strap is only 1" to 2"s wide. But you can take a piece of card board from a box or whatever and cut it 12"ish wide, slide it between the duct and the strap. The cardboard then gives the strap a much wider "belly" for the ductwork and the "bump" is removed.....Not that you need it in your situation. Just a little trick that can be used sometimes when I see ducts that have bad "bumps" from strapping....Awesome video man.

[@HomePerformance]

Thank you buddy- nice tip too

[@somedude-lc5dy]

- "I want to use all-metal", then uses flex tube all over anyway. - people do total system replacements because most central-air systems are poorly designed and either don't balance well, or don't work efficiently. once you do a replacement of the mechanicals, you'll end up coming back out 10 times to deal with the previous person's mistakes. - after all that, you have a mini-split also? should have saved yourself a ton of work and just use all mini-splits and use standalone filters/dehumidifiers where needed. even a thousand pounds of mastic isn't going to get your ductwork to be as efficient as a mini-split. - also, why would you ever want to pull air in from your crawl space? I could see pushing some dehumidified air INTO the crawl space...

[@HomePerformance]

Hey @somedude, seems like you didn’t watch more than the first few minutes of this, and none of our other 500+ videos. We’ll just leave this here and you can come back and reassess your opinions later.

[@travisthompson555]

Wow. I'm installing a hvac system in my rental and this has been by far the most detailed and enjoyable video. I feel like so many questions I had have now been answered and on top of that i just learned so much extra stuff. Great video and thank you so much for your time and effort to make this informational video.

[@HomePerformance]

Hey, thanks so much for the awesome reply, Travis! So glad to hear this helped.

[@mclordhelmet]

Have you experienced any issues with putting mastic on the inside of the duct? I'm planning to do the same on my redo, but am interested in any lessons learned. The only downside I can see thus far is too much mastic just makes you spend more money on mastic and I'm ok with that.

[@terryd5360]

I just had new 2 stage heat pump installed. New duck work and everything. It has very little air flow coming out. You can't feel it standing under the vents. I asked the guy that installed it about the low air flow, and he says that's normal on the new units. Does that sound right? It's a 14.3 ream 2 ton unit. In a 1600 square feet home

[@HomePerformance]

Yes, that sounds fine to me, Terry- smaller systems (properly sized) shouldn’t blow on you. As long as it maintains temp and humidity, it’s working well. If you’d like to feel the breeze, use room fans.

[@TheCreativeVictor]

I’m learning so much. Thanks for your knowledge. 😍

[@HomePerformance]

You’re so welcome, Victor!

[@Crazybef]

Listen I am new to learning house renovations and wanted to learn the process of hvac ducting and from watching your videos I must say this is the most well explained video I have ever seen excellent work and allowing people to follow your progress

[@HomePerformance]

Hey thanks my friend, happy to help

[@marthachinery2957]

Personally I prefer to put return ducts in the bedrooms so the doors can be shut for fire safety while sleeping and the rooms can be conditioned while the doors are shut. I suppose you could use jump ducts to accomplish that but it's not what I would do. I'd also make the filter grill 4 inches deep from the start. You could always add spacers for thinner filters.

[@HomePerformance]

UNDERCUTS on the doors silly. It’s actually in Man D- a 24 sq in undercut can return 50 cfm, a 36 sq in undercut can return 75 cfm. Very few rooms in any performance-tuned home will receive over 75 cfm.

[@coolezum]

That flex will last for 20 +years if properly installed and in a conditioned space also just a tip, use wider support straps to hold up that flex, not plumbing strap. There is nylon strap to support flex and if my memory serves 2 to 3 inches wide. But, very good job with a challenging install.👍

[@HomePerformance]

Thanks buddy!

[@rodgraff1782]

Most people don’t have a nice conditioned crawl space like this guy has. Having to repair duct under houses, I wish I had that much room. Looks like he even has a rat slab to roll his creeper around. In our area, codes have changed, and crawl spaces have to be sealed and conditioned with a de humidifier.

[@kdevroy1991]

What company or program did you use to determine the duct size and lengths?

[@TheMadMagician87]

Mate, never were truer words spoken than 'everything that's worth having is difficult to do.' I just stumbled across your videos, but I appreciate your dedication to learning how to do something, and then doing that job properly and testing and quantifying. Cheap, quick and nasty short term stuff (whether it be a product or an installation job) needs to become a thing of the past, for the sake of the planet basically.

[@HomePerformance]

Thanks man! High five.

[@howibuiltmyownhomeevenacav4944]

Hi Corbett, great timing I am just reviewing my strategy for HVAC for my self build. Thanks for the great info. The question I have is if the HVAC is planned around a variable compressor ( not 2 stage) you could get away with a smaller dehumidifier and only use it on the fresh air?

[@paulgaras2606]

So obviously sheet metal is a much more durable duct system... but what is gonna deteriorate the flex in your hermetically sealed crawl space? It’s plastic. Doesn’t plastic last for ya know 1000years?

[@HomePerformance]

Pull an old plastic toy out of a closed box from a closet after 20 years- age has its way with everything, and a plastic film you can see through ages harder than most I bet.

[@arom8438]

I’ve been an Sheetmetal worker for over 20yrs.. and I love your explanations, and your sincerity about your discovery process. You’re not pretending to be a professional installer. Very cool brother, very cool.

[@HomePerformance]

Wow, that is so nice to hear man- thanks!!

[@whatever_12]

Am wondering why people in the usa don't use a ductless split system and tube ventilation sys.. ? Is there a benefit of air quality with duct or something?...where I live it's all split apart for commercial

[@HomePerformance]

Yes, I talk extensively about this on our channel. I have a house that is exactly as you describe, and it has performance issues that would be solved with a ducted system (if it could fit).

[@comfortscalling]

I like watching your videos but when you’re shunning flexible duct while you’ve got PEX pipe in the same shot... Also, we’ll be using anything other than ducted systems in the 100 years.

[@HomePerformance]

I respectfully disagree with all of this, but I sure do appreciate that you follow and share your thoughts

[@comfortscalling]

@@HomePerformance I appreciate and respect the reply and your not being dogmatic even though our opinions differ. A question since you said you disagree with all of it... you think we’ll still be using ducted systems in the distant future? VRF/inverter technology just make a lot more sense as soon as the costs of products and installations come down with more use. And America is lagging behind much of the world who’ve already gone ductless. We’ve been spoiled with cheap power but that won’t last forever. Just my .02

[@HomePerformance]

I have ductless systems in our tiny house and our studio space, and they have their plusses, but there are some disadvantages. You still need a duct system of some sort to circulate air, they are no good at dehum, and cleaning and maintaining them is a problem. I think options are always a good thing- more options is my hope.

[@AmericanDrinker]

I had a lot of fun watching your luxury system. Thanks for sharing

[@HomePerformance]

With pleasure. Thx for taking the time.

[@DanJoy07]

I appreciate the demonstrations using the items and materials in the spaces. It does seem your discussion wanders. Maybe break up the topics into 10 minute slices. Eg. Air delivery. Air return. Conditioned air. Vs ambient air. Humidity, filtering, ozone, tools, etc…. Thank you.

[@evaeriksson531]

Thank you, you are very proper! I love proper work. Do it right even if difficult

[@HomePerformance]

Thank you madam

[@krogg5868]

My dad had the first geothermal house in his rural part of the pacific northwest. It has been fairly flawless except that several automated dampers have failed and gotten stuck over the years. Annoying but not terrible to fix as long as they are accessible.

[@biniamtesfamariammebrahtu2135]

0

[@hammerandrake]

I am DIYing some ductwork and this is very thorough and helpful. I have watched several videos of him and I think this guy’s great. Thanks for the upload

[@HomePerformance]

Hey man, thanks a lot! Glad to have been of any help at all.

[@turboflush]

Flex duct is cheap and "easy". Thats why they like it. Along with duct board. Both of which are only 15year ( if i remember). Metal duct takes far more precision, building, sealing, and insulating. Its costlier in all ways. I recomend put something between the strap and the flex.. Spread out its contact area that tiny contact will split the fiberglass and potentially be a sweat point.

[@Niklaos]

I was debating what I should do vs have done by a pro. This is super helpful. Sounds like you are working with a pro who is willing to help you were you need help. That's super lucky, I hope I find someone like that. At the moment, I'm contemplating buying the $300 install tool for Fantech HRVs instead of spending more on a pro to do it. That being said, I want a prop to install the coolant lines for my Heat pump it's a hard balance to strike and pros don't like when you take the easy work away from them.

[@comfortscalling]

Devil’s advocate but as a pro, I don’t want to only install a portion of a system due to the liability incurred. It’s like taking your own steak to Outback and asking them to cook it.

[@HomePerformance]

Of course, This Guy- 100% get it.

[@dennisdupuis1567]

no kidding sherlock that’s why we don’t do your scut work

[@cmcking2002]

Thank you for the statement about dust! Our house is like living in the dust bowl. I happened to push too hard on a return and the grill fell off. It was completely open to joist and wall studs. What a mess.

[@icesharc]

Thanks for the great explanation in here. A quick question for @Home Performance though. Around 35:20 when you're discussing the dampers in the ducting, I see that you have a hole in the ducting where the "arm" of the damper sticks through and is stabilized on the side that doesn't have the handle. That seems like a decently large hole that isn't sealed. IS there a later step (not shown) where you cover that or seal it in some way?

[@onenikkione]

Awesome doing the work yourself and using quality tools for the job!!

[@HomePerformance]

👍🏽👍🏽

[@victorhaggy7024]

I am building a audio and video studio. With a saloon. This was very helpful. Thank you.

[@HomePerformance]

Holy crap, Victor, that sounds awesome. Good luck.

[@valerikatamadze2041]

Great video man I loved it. I hate to see when people use 10ft flex and tape instead of duct sealer, also I would love to know where are you located and if you do jobs?

[@ThatGuyFromArizona]

Very well done. Your presentation technique, personality and subject matter knowledge is unmatched on KZbin.

[@HomePerformance]

Wow, that’s amazing to hear, thanks!

[@elevatedsciencesllc8089]

Absolutely fantastic video, thank you

[@HomePerformance]

Glad it helped you my friend

[@SimpleLivingwithBiata]

Thank you so much for all of this! Trying to learn how to do my own!

[@HomePerformance]

You can do it!

[@Average_Middle_Aged_American]

What is a reasonable price for new duct work? 10 runs (10ft - 30ft each). 2000 square feet ranch, single story, AC in attic center of the home.

[@believerscc]

Great video. Not sure exactly how I stumbled on you (probably your eighth video of yours I've binged watched). I think from one of Matt Risinger's video as a you tube suggestion. I'm a full time building consultant that does rental rehabs and new construction. Only general suggestion I would add that applies to new construction or substantial rehab (gut jobs) is to start with big to small on ducting, piping, hoses or electrical. Ifthe duct work started first, some of the head aches would have not been there and would have been completed a little quicker with a few less connections. But again, sometimes timing other contractors gets in the way of scheduling my own stuff, which is probably the case here. Great work!!!Great explanation!!!! Gonna to check out your other videos. Always keep learning.

[@HomePerformance]

Hey thanks Brandon, and keep up the great work out there, the world needs you

[@mr.eastcoastgrow6132]

I'm redoing my home and my ductwork is all steel covered with asbestos. I have no clue where to start with it.

[@rodgraff1782]

The first thing you have to do is have all that asbestos professionally abated. Expensive, but you don’t want to have inexperienced labor, or yourself doing this.

[@OgFurious1]

Pretty sad that a good job is considered nonstandard, but I suppose that’s what an inflationary fiat monetary system incentivizes. Keep up the good work Corbett, love the wealth of knowledge you share.

[@HomePerformance]

Thanks much Old Skool

[@ronpossick]

turn your crimpers around.the3 blade goes to the inside. It makes it smaller and able to insert easier

[@HomePerformance]

thx

[@tati001]

Thank you so much for the info. It's hard being a widow/single parent and trying to afford all these things that breakdown around the house. If I can save money and do things myself, I'm on it. I really appreciate that you dedicated a website to helping people. 🖤

[@johnjingleheimersmith9259]

Wow. I live in a 111 yr old house and these modern houses and systems seem so complicated. Part of me wonders if we've overengineered and complicated things to the point where house designs are now like Mercedes engines where they are over tweaked for minor efficiency gains but at the cost of things like simplicity, cost efficiency, and serviceability. Older homes had many ways to increase comfort like very high ceilings to manage rising heat, simple ceiling fans, etc. Desire for pretty open design and a focus on central heating and air has made us build our homes into a pretty singular niche. Old russian houses were build around maintaining heat through a huge thermal mass, a giant stone fireplace with all rooms built around it. I'm not saying this "passive house" super efficient design is bad necessarily, but it does seem ultra complicated and tailored to mostly upper income level populations. Not everyone is an information sponge like us folks that suck youtube up for knowledge every day. I can't imagine the average person being able to service or maintain systems like these and even maybe half of HVAC service contractors. There's just a lot of considerations and extreme skill level involved that I dunno, I do feel like the simplicity and cost efficiency of a system and solution is just as important as the specs and ratings. Sorry long rambling thought train needed to dump a load. Not criticizing on the actual video or content.

[@cindianderson9443]

I understand what you're saying, but we really can't go back to the way we used to do it which was super leaky and inefficient. The planet simply cannot survive with the amount of energy we waste doing it the old way. And we're also not going back to using the better materials like they used 100 years ago which could do things like tolerate moisture better. And frankly many of those old homes were not very comfortable. But you're right that we could stop trying to be lazy and expecting the house do all the work, and instead could be willing to do things like open and close shades, turn fans on and off. People need to become educated as to how homes work. And builder knowledge has a long way to go!

[@jfgreen1959]

The planet cannot survive period. I find it odd that people think they can stop the inevitable.

[@HomePerformance]

Sounds like somebody’s looking forward to Rapture

[@jfgreen1959]

@@HomePerformance not rapture, anyone with a brain knows eventually the sun will expand and make the planet uninhabitable, we are heading towards our nearest galaxy, good chance we won’t survive that, and catastrophic events have happened throughout history, which is properly why recorded history only goes back 3,500 years BC. Not to mention all this worry about limited resources, when the population will peak around 2050, then it will start decreasing, it already is in China, flat in India. Yes I do everything I can to eliminate waste, and I’m an outdoors person that loves nature, I just have a problem with this panic about man’s influence, when there is so much that happens beyond our control. Seas rising, tectonic plates are moving, land sinks, rises, continents break up, come together. volcanoes, asteroids, etc. Yet never a mention of the good, the planet has actually become 20% greener with it warming up, and what is the ideal temperature of the planet? No one has an answer.

[@addisonblck102]

Other reason we HVAC guys don't use joval vs flex is the customer doesn't want to pay for it. That's the major factor you forgot

[@HomePerformance]

I hear you 100%. Hopefully more see the benefits and are happy to pay.

[@alex.spatzier]

Fantastic video. Will share with a friend who's planning a self-build. Curious, why is the video unlisted? Seemingly I was only able to find it through the playlist. (BTW, your ducting is beautifully installed, joyous crawl space to work in).

[@HomePerformance]

Ha, glad you found it, Alex, but it’s not been made public yet officially. Thanks for following closely enough to get the advance screening!

[@alex.spatzier]

@@HomePerformance Amazing! I didn't even realize I was getting the advanced screening. Great channel/build, it's such an amazing resource that you're creating. I've found your videos especially helpful as I'm designing a house for a friend of mine who's planning to self build for the first time. Are there aspects of your build/design you would change now given all your experiences?

[@HomePerformance]

Hmm, I’d definitely check out our ‘Lessons Learned’ vid from a couple months back, but I can’t say I’d change anything at this point. Ask me again after we move in at Christmas! If you need any consulting, FYI, I enjoy that quite a lot.

[@ryans413]

Don’t you want the registers to be on the floor only because hot air rises so when heating the the air will rise and fill the room. It be okay for cooling since cold air falls but not heating.

[@rlhanks]

Three things you need to live: 1. food 2. Water 3. Air. When we get healthy we change our eating habits and start eating healthy and drink filtered water. We add water filters like R.O. systems. We never really think about the air, even though we need air to breath but also it surrounds us so that we are comfortable. This makes so much sense to work hard on bringing the home full of clean fresh air. So we can breath better and be healthy, so we can feel comfortable and after it's all said and done, we actually save money by being efficient. Thanks for the video

[@HomePerformance]

Amen

[@KingKatura]

Have you tried the newer type of flex that is made from like a nylon & adds more insulation they are a bit more rigid & exspensive but im curious how they work??

[@jimrichardson3078]

Hi, I'm just beginning to learn the in and outs of HVAC and ducting systems, to build my small house, and there are a couple or three things you have that I don't understand and hope you'll help me with: 1 - there seems to be no insulation between your crawlspace and the upper floor plus your ducts are not insulated, is this a conditioned space and if so, are you returning air from a service space to your living spaces? I've been told to never return air from service areas like kitchens, bathrooms, laundries, and such 2 - is 100 feet run of hydrocarbon in your line set a good thing (sounds long)? Does the distance between the compressor and evaporator matter?

[@jeffreymartin4890]

I see at least 2 things wrong. 1 you are using the crimper wrong at 15:35 believe it or not the 3 jaws go on the ID and the 2 jaws go on the OD. Also at 5:39 that is not how you install a round to rectangle adapter. You need to add S cleats and drive cleats. It is just going to leak round the adapter and the rectangle stack.

[@HomePerformance]

Thanks for the tips- system’s working great regardless, everything is screwed and mastic’d. Good to know though!

[@mpxz999]

Oh god! I've had my air return grills ALL covered. 4 level split home, and every single one has had a piece of furniture in front of it Damn, I learned something important Thank you!

[@HomePerformance]

The world is a better place now! Thank you for watching!

[@abel5925]

What do you think about UV lights that go in the duct work or by the air handler?

[@HomePerformance]

Not interested- they introduce chemical reactions that are unpredictable. Also, they don’t do everything they claim when air is actually moving past them.

[@christopherborner1139]

Wow, you should have watched a real sheet metal professional before you go giving instructions.

[@denisemartin3603]

Why?

[@stevebernstein6970]

Love the detail. 99% of people just don't get that a system needs to be sealed, including some HVAC installers. I have a home that was built in '88 and has a poorly designed duct system. I've been trying to wrap my arms around it and seal it up as well as I can. Sadly I will probably have to bring in a professional to give me an assessment on all new.

[@scottmac386]

Great video..... truly shows me all I don't know and how doing something right the first time is key.... know anyone in Bend OR that you would suggest? Thanks

[@HomePerformance]

Thanks! None at top of mind, but use this to find them: homediagnosis.tv/pro

[@moonlightacmaintenance3232]

I enjoyed the video. I’m a hvac tech with my local school system for the past two years. I just graduated votech school and want to potentially be licensed at some point. The draw back is that there are just something’s we just don’t do and contract out. So my only exposure is KZbin. Other options are to leave and work somewhere that I can expand my knowledge which I do consider.

[@HomePerformance]

Nice, moonlight! Always cool new dtuff to learn.

[@zuko9085]

Well, sounds like my spec home didn't have a good HVAC design. A single system conditions upstairs and downstairs and they are wildly different temperatures. Also the unfinished basement is getting conditioned by very poorly sealed ducting.

[@suzannesutton5636]

is this an advert for HVAC contractors or what? I want to kill myself just seeing the inventory of specialized tools and terms to figure out. Glad I saw this before I tried to do it myself!!!

[@ericscott3997]

While I sort of understand your concern, (and totally understand wanting more robust) with the flex ducting, wouldn't the fact that it's in a conditioned space, and protected from harsh exposure ensure that you'd easily get 20 + years of productive & safe use out of it? It's only conditioned filtered air.

[@HomePerformance]

Sure, but the metal ducts will last as long as the rest of the house. And our plan is to hand this down to our kids, who’ll hand it to their kids, etc.

[@hvac-r977]

You are a great teacher who knows the points and explained them well. Thank you for your time and efforts

[@HomePerformance]

Thank you- glad you found us!

[@jacobvanderzee2555]

Great video by the way ! Are you aware that your using your Malco Crimpers the wrong way ? I believe the 2 prongs go on top. Those should look like factory style crimps !

[@HomePerformance]

Thanks Jacob- I was just informed today. Good to know, but honestly it fits either way ;)

[@turboflush]

How did you go about finding. And choosing your system designer?

[@robjay2885]

Thank you for the video as I learned a lot. I am placing parts of my HVAC system, with this video providing a great overview and specifics for what I am up against.

[@HomePerformance]

Awesome, enjoy being a rockstar Rob

[@courtneywilliams9530]

Excellent video. Did you do one for wrapping the duct? I can’t find it. Did you use insulation or reflective bubble wrap?

[@markhoffmann5941]

Crimpers >> use with the 3 blades to the inside of pipe.... Those reds are straight cut bulldogs.. get a pair of reds like the greens you have and you will love them.

[@canislupus5]

Thanks for being well-spoken and comprehensive! Much more useful than the more ubiquitous "quick and cute" youtube strategy. Keep it up.

[@HomePerformance]

Hey Benjamin, thanks so much! Glad it hits.

[@joeydelmarsjr.646]

i got a 4ton for 1300sqft thats 350ft per ton in southern Nevada easy 115 degree days, i aim to get 1600cfm and my filter is 20x20x1 side by side for a total of 20x40 filter return. i currently use the honeywell HD merv 11 filters but i think ill start using the 3m 1200 merv 11 because of the more surface area on the filter to help decrease static pressure if that doesnt help ill try to use 4in filter

[@flinch622]

Speaking of surface area, the thicker the filter the more you have [assuming pleated design]. I have used everything from 1" to 4" over the years in various commercial settings and... it would be SO nice if 3" became standard for houses - that would nest easily in standard framing for ease of construction or retrofit. Occasionally you see houses where the fan pulls so hard a brand new 20x30x1" filter behaves almost like it's loaded with dirt - owner spends more money changing those out at greater frequency than if they bought 4" which would make the same opening behave like it was 20x50 with a 1".

[@joeydelmarsjr.646]

@@flinch622 ya i ended retrofitting a 4in filter in my duct opening so far so good, i haven't had any issues but the initial startup closes my bedroom door after that is works like normal been using it for 4months and i plan to push it to 6-8months instead of the 1 yr filter that they claim is doable

[@loreall.2461]

I’m sure you’re probably done by the time of this posting, so can you pop on over to my place and replace all my duct work. Pretty please.

[@prveteran]

Enjoyed that video. You provuded So much detail and rationale that a diyer or typical homeowner can undersrsnd and makes a lot of sense.

[@HomePerformance]

Thanks very much Ronald

[@hickorydragon8114]

Anything good that is worth doing is hard work. I like that

[@mjchiu2k]

I am an everyday person without any experience with hvac. I love watching your videos for fun. They are so informative. I now feel motivated to invest a lot of effort into making sure we have a good hvac system whenever we decide to build our own house.

[@theguyjt7921]

You can't go wrong that way. There's tons of information to assist. It's scary how many homes I've seen, some new and expensive, that have terrible ducts. Our house for ex. unit and ducts were replaced right before we moved in. 5 ton ac, ducts have 2.5 tons of capacity. Heat load on the house at 110 is right around 3 tons.

[@JesseDoesHVAC]

I wish more people thought about their hvac system when they try to build their dream home. As a hvac installer and service tech i can attest to the attention to detail that is frequently overlooked

[@Scav68]

So there are 3 or more snips. There are snips for cutting to the left. Snips for cutting straight lines. And snips for cutting to the right.

[@lee-johnson]

I noticed the return grille is basically on the floor. How’s your baseboard molding going to work?

[@HomePerformance]

We'll hotrod it, don't worry Lee! Everything is custom everywhere, and it was the easiest way to place the filter box.

[@TS-zp7pe]

Ever did HVAC for the Agriculture industry. Vertical farms to be precise?

[@tealkerberus748]

I respect that 100 year house mindset. I'm working on a 500 year house design and wow, it's not easy to find the right materials and systems!

[@caustinolino3687]

What have you found so far? Share the knowledge!

[@tealkerberus748]

@@caustinolino3687 Stainless steel plumbing supply pipes, not plastic or copper. Really good moisture control, especially in the structure of your external walls. And make the house easy to adapt or renovate! People building houses 500 years ago weren't planning for good wifi in every room, or electric lights, or even indoor plumbing. We have no idea what new technology will be expected in houses in the next 500 years, so all we can do is make it easy to add new pipes and wires.

[@caustinolino3687]

@@tealkerberus748 Good tips! I'm curious, why no PVC supply pipes?

[@optics8019]

Beautiful video man thanks. I have a house that was probably built by Leif Erikson

[@HomePerformance]

NICE. Old can make your life interesting. Thanks for commenting.

[@garyramsdale9340]

on the straight long runs of insulated flex ducting add a board/ metal strip so the pipe does not compress at the strap or sag adding resistance to air flow

[@chichijumbo]

I came across your video Colbert and I want to appreciate your talent. You and Grace are truly a blessing to our generation. Thanks for choosing this part to help make our world a better place! Congratulations and God's blessings in all your endeavors!

[@browneyedbottle]

What is that black flex duct called? I can't get anything to come up with a Google search

[@dwightcarter6334]

Did you do Central Vac? (looked like an inlet beside your return air) How do you deal with the pressure change when in use? (assuming your canister is outside the conditioned envelope)

[@HomePerformance]

Yes we did, and no pressure change since the canister is indoors. However, it only moves about 50 cfm, which is pretty small pressure even for a house as tight as ours- only 5 Pa or so.

[@dwightcarter6334]

Thanks! Keep up the good work!!

[@lordratner]

Great video. In regards to dumping the dehumidified air into the supply side, did you have any conversations with Ultra-Aire about that? I was emailing them back and forth a month ago and the tech told me they prefer to have the air dumped back into the return.

[@HomePerformance]

Pretty sure they’re leading the charge on the supply-side thing. You might have gotten an alternative thinker on the line.

[@lordratner]

@@HomePerformance Nope, I'm just an idiot. I got the Aprilaire and Ultra Aire techs confused, and had the entire conversation with him saying Ultra while he was saying April! Does the Ultra unit have enough fan power to operate independently, or does it require the Heat Pump blower to assist?

[@HomePerformance]

Haha, easy to get mixed up, a lot of samenames out there. Yes, the blower in the unit itself is around 300cfm, and it is designed to run independently.

[@dreece2000]

@@HomePerformance does that not substantially hurt the efficiency of the heat pump/Hvac? Maybe I’m misunderstood

[@HomePerformance]

Dumping the 300 cfm of dry, slightly warmed air into the supply does not affect the heat pump efficiency at all. Dumping it into the return would.

[@steven7650]

Since you didn't use the fresh air intake on the ultraire, where are you taking in fresh air?

[@HomePerformance]

ERV system is a dedicated, balanced system. Balanced is critical for a home as airtight as ours.

[@steven7650]

@@HomePerformance I thought about it, you might use the term balance more carefully. You want the home slightly pressurized with the clean air. Even as tight as you got it. .9ACH50? That still equates to about a 6 inch hole in the envelope per 100m^3. So you want to control the quality of the air coming in. As opposed to unfiltered outside air coming in through the cracks and seams.

[@HomePerformance]

Correction: 0.39 ACH50. 300 CFM@50 Pa. And you can balance the system slightly pressurized if you want to, using the ERV.

[@bergdaniel6998]

I would have set the filter support for a 4" deep filter to start with and made a 2" spacer for the 2" deep filter.

[@jpvill4th]

You are a very good instructor. My background/education is in Mechanical Engineering Thermo and fluid mechanics. I used to be able to design a system but I don't have my ASRAE handbook anymore so I if you have some sources for instruction, etc. I would like to know. I bought a house with a f**ked up system that uses all flex duct. I am going to replace it with galvanized steel but I suspect that the 10 inch supply lines (corrugated flex crap) are 10 inch because of the poor flow characteristics. I really like your instruction style. What is the black flex duct you used to isolate the machinery sounds? It look like industrial flex duct made from impregnated cloth with wire sandwiched between the layers. If that is what you are using it will probably last more than 20 years. That is some very tough stuff. I am in Houston, TX.

[@HomePerformance]

Thanks for your message, John, and I’m rooting for you with your re-duct. The black stuff I actually found on A**zon, called TerraBloom.

[@jpvill4th]

@@HomePerformance What is the mastic sealant you are using on the ducts you are assembling? Type or manufacturer would be handy information. I saw the TerraBloom as well as another product that has a smooth interior surface.

[@HomePerformance]

I like to use RCD Mastic #6

[@TheSlim2none]

I mean your approach very professional but ever feel over doing air quality? I mean you have kids brought up in a hospital like environment when they grow older sent to some dorm will they be able to adapt to “dirty air”? I kind of view it like living in a bubble yes u want decent air quality but the body adapts to its environment and this could make someones immune system weak. Any thoughts on this not trying to bash your videos they are great just concerned we all could be over doing it.

[@HomePerformance]

I hear you, but it doesn’t work that way- here’s the catch: Our immune systems DO need to be exposed to lots of stuff, and that’s why we never sterilize or use any antimicrobial materials (or soaps). What we’re all for is not exposing our kids to the NEW, synthetic and untested chemical compounds in all the products around us. Not just building materials, either- Axe body spray, as one dumb example, has less than 10 ingredients lited, but over 100 separate chemicals when tested. We are all guinea pigs in a giant experiment.

[@tedallen9078]

as a contractor, you lost me at your discussion of a central return. unfortuately, the international mechanical code that i subscribe to, requires a return in each room except for the kitchen, bathroom. Further, 2" wide haning straps are required on flex duct probably every 4'

[@rpvitiello]

I hate not having a return to any room, like a bedroom, with a door. You either need to hack off a bunch of the door, or install a hole in the wall so you loosing privacy or you need to leave the door open most of the time.

[@TommyBoy7Heads]

Damn. I am in the process of planning a new construction. I hope I can find a an HVAC designer locally that seems as knowledgeable as you. I plan on doing the installation myself but I’m out of my depth on design stuff. Thanks for the knowledge, dude. Awesome.

[@HomePerformance]

Thanks very much, Thomas- glad it helps you, and FYI I’m working on a design course to make this type of system more possible for folks like you.

[@TommyBoy7Heads]

@@HomePerformance Oh good idea. If I was going to do this more than once I’d probably be interested! For a one shot deal though, it makes sense to just get a pro to get it designed right. And honestly if you are interested in engineering my hvac system for me, it might be worth a quick conversation for starters. It’s a small 2 bedroom in upstate NY and I’m still playing with the layout. So shouldn’t be an enormous pain in the butt as I can still easily make room where needed. No pressure- just thinking out loud.

[@HVAC544]

I admire your care and attention to detail to make sure everything is done as it should. HVAC installer here everyone just seems to be lazy and use rules of thumbs for everything. Nowadays everything is rushed instead of focusing on doing it right.

[@HomePerformance]

Yes, sadly- but if we trained more people right, and gave them the time and tools and pay to do things the best way, that would solve most of it.

[@HomePerformance]

👍🏽👍🏽

[@zipzop6000]

Why on earth would you make a 4 foot crawl space? You already did 90% of the work of making a basement. Just make a basement.

[@HomePerformance]

Don’t need a basement. Been in lots of them people treat just like their garages- filled to the brim with crap.

[@alexleach4002]

Awesome, Can you do a video explaining how to calculate the duct size needed for each room? I'm lost.

[@HomePerformance]

Already done Alex- learn the foundations here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/l3Sso5WJe7x3aJI

[@alexleach4002]

@@HomePerformance Thanks man, I was unable to find that info in that video though. Is the size of the duct needed promotional to the volume flow rate? Sindenote; "you said if you have a lakefront lot that faces west with all your windows on that side......" haha hits very close to home.

[@HomePerformance]

Haha, happens to all of us sometimes. And yes, the duct size entirely depends on the Btuh and CFM needed in each location.

[@alexleach4002]

@@HomePerformance can you tell me how to find it; I have cfm needed at each point in the duct and btu for each room already. Just don''t know how to size my rectangular duct or where to find out how to do it. just do cfm/(some constant air speed) to ged a cross section size needed? if so what is the speed i should plug in?

[@HomePerformance]

Aha- you need Manual D. But I hope to have a training in a slightly better way to do it by next year. Too late for you I bet.

[@YIQUANONE]

I have never seen any of our HVAC contractors use mastic on the joints on any of the many houses I have worked on throughout 30 years, they use foil tape?.

[@HomePerformance]

Probably lasts as long as the flex duct its sticking to

[@youtubereview8176]

@HomePerformance: I'm so sorry that you got injured. I've found that Physical Therapy (PT) has been super helpful for, in my case, eliminating back pain because I strengthened my muscles before it got bad. I also learned to lift with my knees rather than my back.

[@kennethbubser9601]

Flex should only be used in unconditional areas. Attics or crawlspace. I always run main supply in hard duct. Even in a attic. The right way is returns in every room but kitchen and bathrooms. Central returns are cheap way. Also even in attic supply and returns should be hard pipe then wrapped with insulation or last five feet flex. But builders want cheap. So guys use flex all over attic. Then homeowners wonder why shit don’t work or sound right.

[@TheAnimeAtheist]

31:41 amen to that brother, unfortunately that line also cues the laugh track from the rest of the blue collar guys we have to work with. I remember one job I was on, putting in a new run for an old house renovation. I was working in small single room basement that would never see a true finish, for this run I was putting in I needed a particular chase to make it work, unfortunately the electrician had already put in a new light in that chase where I needed to use it. So I did what anyone sane person would have done and I moved it. The electrician didn't like that very much, in fact he hated it so much he called up the general contractor to come on over to chew me out. So the next time I was there GC shows up asks what the hell I was thinking, so I showed him and luckily he at least understood and could tell the electrician was being very whiney and essentially told the guy to shove off. But it speaks volumes when the people you work around feel entitled to never play second fiddle to what you're doing. Unfortunately HVAC and what it does is often not well respected by the other trades. At least that's my experience around my area. 32:20 I saw one guy once who had developed this skill, he would take 30 gauge round pipe unsnapped, curl it up and shove it into place, then would snap it into shape. It was crazy, he could do it real fast too. Flex duct is probably the right solution for most people, but it was impressive what this guy had taught himself. 34:36 that's not really how ducts work precisely. The actual idea of how a trunk line works is to just think of it like a pressure box, it has a bunch of air pressure that wants to escape where ever it can, so just poking a hole, guided or not, will cause that pressure relief and the air will guide itself out. In fact putting a scoop on, if it's too big relative to the trunk line, may cause enough of a blockage downstream of it, that it ends up eating more static pressure than it should and will over velocity the run in question while taking away from anything downstream of it. Scoops can be useful if you're dealing with unusual static and velocity interactions. Like if you've got 1600cfm coming down at 1100fpm and for w/e reason you want to take a 4 in off of it, okay a scoop might be helpful there. Perfect ductwork doesn't need scoops nor does it want them and they will actively hurt it in fact, but when life inevitably comes a knocking and you have to use imperfect ductwork that causes an issue, a scoop might be the solution.

[@anthonylosego]

So, have you looked at the hole in the actual air handler? Is it 201 sq in at it's most restrictive point? (simple answer: no). Will having more than one restriction additive and increases static pressure? Probably. Is it that bad? Probably not as bad as you might think. But the industry is happy to sell you any additional components you might feel you need to have. lol

[@markhoffman]

You should have ran returns to each room. Oh well. Maybe on the next house.