Ductwork Installation Guide

Introducing a cutting-edge approach to mastering the essentials of Ductwork and Furnace Installation! This comprehensive "how-to" guide is packed with hundreds of practical competencies, meticulously designed and modernized to serve as a complete learning system for both novice and seasoned professionals. Dive into the core concepts of ductwork installation with a blend of theory and hands-on applications, covering everything from small residential setups to large-scale installations in houses, apartments, basements, and attics. With enhanced features including an updated tools and materials identification chart, enriched visuals, and revised installation techniques, this edition sets a new standard in HVAC education. Key Benefits:

Originally authored and published on this site in 2008, this e-textbook underwent significant enhancements in 2015, with added links to the International Code in 2012. Drawing from years of experience as an HVAC contractor for Pulte Homes Company since May 2013, this edition incorporates the best practices gleaned from this collaboration. Hundreds of new photos, showcasing unique installation methods tailored for optimal performance, have been seamlessly integrated into numerous chapters.

"Ductwork Installation Guide" is compatible with both PC and Mac platforms, authored in Microsoft Word, and comprises 63 chapters available for separate purchase. Opt for the Rough-in part for $44.99, featuring 826 photos across 346 pages, or delve into the Basement part for $55.99, offering 1585 photos and 807 pages capturing all installation stages. For the ultimate package, acquire the entire guide for $89.99, encompassing 2411 photos and 1153 pages, along with 46 complimentary Ductwork Installation Tips and Tricks valued at $9.99.

Finished Basement Edition

Doing ductwork installation sounds like a job that must be done by a professional. You may be surprised to know that by following my simple instructions, you can install your own ductwork in no time.

This e-book is about doing your own ductwork. Doing your own ductwork has significant financial advantages. You may be surprised to learn that installing your own ductwork in your finished basement project may save you a lot of money.

Usually, this task seems very complicated without some prior knowledge of the subject. But this handy e-book was designed for your first time through a ductwork installation. It will guide you through each step of the installation process. During the process of installing your new ductwork, I will be there with you offering step-by-step “how to” instructions.

Also, this e-book is useful if you are a professional ductwork installer! Depending on what you are doing every day at work it will bring you knowledge and understanding equal from 5 up to 10 years of experience!

And you are not alone. To meet growing demand for the most popular pages on my website I’ve combined all the pages from my website dedicated to the finished basement issues and sell it as a “Ductwork Installation Guide, Finished Basement Edition” e-book.

Nine pages for the Finished Basement Edition Guide have been taken from the  “Professionally Answered Questions” page, nine from the “Installation in Pictures” page, two from the “ Ductwork Installation Guide” e-book, two from the “Energy Saving Tips" e-book and one from the “Ductwork Installation Tips and Tricks”.

So if you decide to finish the basement on your own you are going to have a complete guidance which includes everything that you need to know to finish the project! Furthermore, all pages from “Installation in Pictures” page are including step-by-step explanations to them too!

As I’ve mentioned above all chapters of the “Finished Basement Edition Guide” e-book are presented on my website and designed to help anyone who is finishing his/her basement off

Kitchen Remodeling Edition

When it comes to the ductwork, kitchen remodeling requires resolving some of the most important issues, which could arise during the remodeling process.
For example:

If in your kitchen you are doing a remodeling project on moving a wall, you may find out that existing heat no longer can serve your kitchen area and should be moved to another location. It is why I give you three options of resolving this issue:

If you have an unoccupied span of wall you can install a bath box in, if not, you can install a bath box high above your wall cabinets, or you can set it low and bring such necessary heat to your kitchen area as the Toe Kick heat.
Next and the most important part of your kitchen-remodeling project is a kitchen exhaust. Here you can also have three options:

All three of them require resolving of some ductwork installation issues and you are able to find the solutions in my book.

The “Jumper Installation” chapter of my book gives you insight on how to run heat or exhaust if you unable to run it as a “straight shot”.

All the chapters are very cheap and the book price is even cheaper than combine the price of all chapters. However, you may be worried that there is no answer to your particular question or issue, and then you have two options:

Chapters of the book:

• Bath Box Installation
• High Wall Heat Installation
• Toe Kick Heat Installation
• "Jumper" Installation
• Kitchen Exhaust
• Tools and Materials
  

Energy     Saving      Edition

On the web, you'll stumble upon countless websites advocating the importance of energy conservation. They often furnish a generic list of measures you can adopt in your home to align with their recommendations.

What sets my website apart? Unlike others that regurgitate the same old energy-saving tips sourced from government websites, I bring something fresh to the table. In addition to the well-known strategies, I've uncovered and tested my own methods over the years, yielding remarkable results in my own household.

Does this warrant a purchase of my book from this website? Not necessarily. Why? It's simple: owning the book won't guarantee implementation.

Why the reluctance to implement? Because people typically favor tangible items over abstract concepts like energy conservation. This is why most energy-saving tips on other websites are freely available – attaching a price tag would likely deter interest.

Now, the crucial question: why do people invest in my energy-saving tips? It boils down to the details. On my website and in my book, I don't just offer energy-saving advice; I provide comprehensive, step-by-step guidance on implementation. What's more, I delve into detailed explanations of various ductwork installation issues pertinent to each energy-saving tip.

What's more important I give a step-by-step explanations to many ductwork installation issues related to this or to that energy saving tip!

Let’s take a look what kind of information you can get if you will purchase any of my energy saving tips:

If you implement Closing Supply Registers and Closing Cold Air Return Grills energy saving tips you will reduce your furnace cycle time! However, do not try it at home on your own! Because if you close all supply registers and all cold air return grills which you may think are unnecessary at the time, you will end up destroying your furnace or AC!
Another benefit of these chapters is that you are going to get a step-by-step guidance on how to add a floor heat and cold air return.

Programmable Thermostat: this item will increase your furnace idle time,  save some gas in unexpected way and, also,

Double Cold Air Return Installation

Cold air return is one of the most important parts of the finished basement project. The main goal of the cold air return installation is to make air circulation. In the winter time it will remove cool air off the floor and help replace it with warm air from the supply registers, in the summer time it will remove moisture and create a healthy environment.

Double cold air returns are necessary to use in large basements or in basements with a big open space. If basement has bedrooms it would be a good idea to have a cold air return for each room, otherwise one double cold air return would be more than enough.

Of course, if you have a zoning system where one zone works only for the basement you might need more returns, but in the basement it’s always a good idea to have less cold air returns than supplies!
If you found your way to this page I can assume that most likely you are interested in the double cold air return installation. Some of the visitors of my website already purchased an access to the paid page and I’m not surprised why. Recently I've spent more than an hour looking for DIY information on how to install a cold air return in general and a double return in particular, but didn’t find anything! I dug through hundreds of websites and found out that only my website can give you a comprehensive step-by-step explanation with pictures of installation, tools and materials!  

Basement Cold Air Return in Pictures

On this page, you can see pictures of all materials and tools necessary for installation. Pictures, which represent installation, are set in a sequence in which the installation was executed. There are 15 pictures of tools and materials and 13 pictures of actual installation.

As you can see in the picture on the left the original builder put a window too close to the furnaces! He probably thought that all this aria - from the furnaces, down to the window's end will be just enough for an entire storage-mechanical room, but a homeowner had a different opinion. However, because of that I didn't have enough room for a cold air return to the left, so I ran it to the right.
In addition I've included some brief explanations, which made this page twice as valuable!

Installation on the paid pages might not exactly describe your upcoming project. However, it will give you an important example of how this type of installation should be done. In addition, it will open the gates for as many questions as necessary to make sure that the job is done right.

In order to gain an access to the Basement Cold Air Return Installation in Pictures page you have to pay an access fee of $1.86. Just click on the “Buy Now” button below. Once you pay, you will gain an instant access to the page! This page is the part of the Finished Basement Edition e-book. Click here and save.

Cold Air Return in Basement

A cold air return vent can help keep a finished basement warm by removing cold air and recirculating it through the HVAC system. Here are some tips for installing a cold air return vent in a basement: 

Placement: Place the vent lower on the wall or floor where cold air sinks. 

Space: Leave 6–12 inches of space in front of the vent. 

Number of vents: Ideally, have one vent in every room, but at least two or three. 

Avoid obstructions: Make sure nothing is blocking the vent, like furniture or clothes. 

Run the furnace fan: Running the fan constantly mixes cold air from the return vents with warm air in the house. 

Other ways to heat a finished basement include:Adding registers to the HVAC system

Installing a wood pellet stoveUsing electric space heatersInstalling electric baseboard heatersInstalling basement radiant floor heating 

When people are finishing their basements off, they are usually creating a mechanical room. This room is serving not only the purpose of separating noisy heating equipment such as furnace and water heater, but also serves as a storage room. From the ductwork installation point of view, it makes easier to install a cold air return.

Cold Air Return from Interior Wall

A "cold air return from an interior wall" refers to a vent located on an interior wall within a home that draws in cool air from a room, allowing it to be recirculated through the heating and cooling system, typically positioned low on the wall to effectively capture cooler air that sinks to the floor. 

Key points about cold air returns on interior walls:

Function: They pull in cool air from a room, enabling the HVAC system to maintain a consistent temperature throughout the house by recycling that air. 

Placement: Usually situated near the floor on interior walls, as cold air tends to settle downwards. Importance: Proper placement of cold air returns is crucial for efficient air circulation and comfortable indoor temperatures. 

This chapter in three instances gives a description of the cold air return installation from the inner wall, which separates two rooms in the finished basement. In this chapter you can see pictures of all necessary tools and materials and pictures of the system elements installed. All installation is divided into three steps. All installation is divided into six steps. Also you can learn how to measure, cut, put together and crimp a round pipe. The chapter has 34 pictures; 12 pages..

Ducted Cold Air Return Installation

On this page you can see pictures of all materials and tools necessary for installation.
The pictures, which represent installation are set in the sequence in which the installation should be executed. There are 20 pictures on the page. Price for the instant access to the page is $2.00.

Detailed explanation for this topic is also available. Price for the page with explanations is $2.50.

Installation on the paid page might not exactly describe your upcoming project. However, it will give you an important example of how this type of installation should be done. In addition, it will open the gates for as many questions as necessary to make sure that the job is done right.

In order to gain accesses to these pages you have to pay access fees: $2.00 or $2.50. Just click on one of the “BuyNow” button below. Once you pay, you will gain an instant access to the page!

Return from Exterior Wall in Pictures

A "return from an exterior wall in a basement" refers to a vent in your HVAC system that draws air back to the furnace from a basement wall that faces the outside of your house, essentially acting as a return air vent, but located on an external wall of the basement; generally, this is not recommended due to potential issues with moisture and temperature fluctuations, making it best to place return vents on interior walls whenever possible. 

Sometimes you do not have a choice, but must use an exterior wall for a cold air return in your finished basement. This type of installation requires a different approach, which I have employed for this project.
On the page, you can see 11 pictures of the tools and materials and 16 pictures of installation that represent it in the step-by-step manner.
In addition I've included some brief explanations, which made this page twice as valuable!

In order to gain an access to the Return from Exterior Wall in Basement (Installation in Pictures)

Two Cold Air Returns from Interior Wall

On this page, you can learn how to connect a cold air return to the wall that sits directly under the cold air duct and to the wall located under the panning.

On the page, you can see 17 pictures of the tools and materials and 16 pictures of installation that represent it in the step-by-step manner, in addition I've included some brief explanations, which made this page twice as valuable!

In order to gain an access to the Two Cold Air Returns from Interior Wall (Installation in Pictures) page you have to pay an access fee of $2.50. Just click on the “Buy Now” button below. Once you pay, you will gain an instant access to the page!

On 04/10/2016 one more instance of the cold air return was added. Now it’s become Three Cold Air Returns from Interior Wall and this one is a double return! This new addition includes 9 high quality pictures with brief explanations to them.++

Supply Register Soffit installation

On this page you can find information how to install a supply register directly on the supply duct for your finishing basement project...

A "supply register" in a basement refers to a vent located in the basement ceiling that delivers conditioned air (heated or cooled) from your HVAC system into the space, essentially acting as the point where the treated air enters the basement from the ductwork; it's considered a "supply" register because it supplies air to the room, unlike a "return" register which draws air back into the system. 

Function:

This chapter gives a description of a sheet metal sleeve installation that is a necessary element for a supply register that connects it to the duct. In this page, you can see pictures of all necessary tools and materials and pictures of the system elements installed. All installation is divided into five steps. This chapter has 20 pictures; 7 pages.

Register Installation on Ceiling Tile 

This chapter gives a description of the register installation on the ceiling tile. In this chapter you can see pictures of all necessary tools and materials and pictures of the system elements installed. All installation is divided into four steps.The chapter has 18 pictures; 5 pages

How to Drop Register to Shallow Ceiling

In this chapter you can find another way of how to drop a register to the soffit right below the duct. There are 19 pictures of all necessary tools, materials and installation. All installation is divided into four steps. 

The chapter has 9 pages.

How to Extend Duct to Floor in M. Room

This chapter gives a description of three heat duct installations two in interior and one in exterior wall. In one instance it separates mechanical room from the rest of the finished basement. In another, a storage room from the bathroom. In this chapter you can see pictures of all necessary tools

Tapping Two Heats for Finished Basement

On this page, you can learn how to tap into an existing supply duct to add registers in two rooms for your finished basement project. One of the heats was tapped into the duct's top, another into its side. In addition, one of the heats can be considered as a "straight shot", while another has two "jumpers".

Bath Fan Exhaust through Brick Wall

If you are making a bathroom in your finished basement you can’t avoid venting out a bath fan. Running the bath fan exhaust through brick wall gets more questions then any other type of installation.

On this page you can find out how to run a bath fan exhaust through the brick wall. If you want to know the easiest and fastest professional way of doing that, do yourself a favor and get the information for a discount price.
On this page you can see pictures of all necessary tools and materials and pictures of the system elements installed. There are 21 picture on that page. All installation is divided into four steps that represent the entire project in the making.

How to Run Bath Fan Exhaust through Roof

Venting of Two Bathroom Fans

Usually when people finish their basements off they make a bathroom or two, but sometimes in addition to the bathroom, they build a steam room and sauna.In this case, one fan isn't enough and another fan should be mounted in a dress room in front of the steam room.
On this page, you will learn how to exhaust both fans in a single pipe and how to vent it through the brick wall.

On the page, you can see 12 pictures of the tools and materials and 13 pictures of installation that represent it in the step-by-step manner.In addition I've included some brief explanations, which made this page twice as valuable!

In order to gain an access to

Duct Span Removal and Reinstallation

Hello, Ed! I am doing some structural work in my basement and the only way to get in the steel is to take down a span of ductwork, or to cut it. It looks like I can take out the piece I need to, it's about 3 feet long, on one end is an elbow that turns it upstairs through the floor, and the other end joins a larger network that comes from the furnace.
I'm not afraid of home repairs, but I am a novice when it comes to HVAC. Is this something I should be able to swing on my own? If so, how do I go about removing the bands that connect the pieces, removing the piece I need to get out of the way and later reconnecting it? Installation on the paid page might not exactly describe your upcoming project. However, it 

Tap Takeoff into Duct

I am installing a partition wall between the mechanical room and the semi-finished part of the basement. The semi-finished part has carpet, painted walls. But, I do not intend to install ceiling.
I want to tap into the existing duct work for air-conditioning / heating.
Since there will not be any ceiling, I could just use a round pipe and elbow to blow the incoming air from the top. For the return I need to install something in the wall yet to be built. I am not familiar with all of different types of ducting parts and tools. Therefore, I was hoping that your website could be useful.
Any help will be appreciated, even if it costs.In this chapter, I will explain how to tap a Take-off into existing duct and how to do a basement heat run. In order to cut a take-off in you have to:

Ductwork Relocation

People who want to finish their very low ceiling basements must fight for every single inch of it space! Unfortunately, most of the heating...contractors, while they are installing ductwork, do not consider it.
On the pages dedicated to this issue, on one page you can look at the 15 pictures without any explanations and see entire project in the making. In addition, you can purchase another page with a full-scale step-by-step explanations to it.

What you can see in the picture above is the installation before I made some changes. Of course your case could be different, so after you read on the page Pay Pal will provide you with my e-mail address and then you can send me some pictures and ask all your questions about installation in your particular case!

Re-run of Heat Runs 

On this page, you can find a description of how to re-run a heat run, which is set in the middle of the basement's ceiling and by exterior wall in a more suitable area for your finished basement project place. Here you can see pictures of all materials and tools necessary for installation.
Pictures and explanations that represent installation are set in the sequence in which the installation should be executed.

If you are doing a finished basement project, most likely, that you are going to deal with this problem on your hands. So, stop inventing a bicycle! If you are finishing your basement off yourself you are already saving a lot. Just give yourself a bit of respect – save some time and some money on the unnecessary mistakes!

Installation on the paid page might

Bathroom Heat

If your bathroom is located somewhere in the middle of your finished basement, you do not need to supply too much air into it. You just need a vent to compensate air losses to the bath fan and not much else.
On this page, you will learn how to tee-off an existing duct, which is working for the adjacent storage room in order to rout some air to the bathroom.On the page, you can see 12 pictures of the tools and materials and 7 pictures of installation that represent it in the step-by-step manner.
In addition I've included some brief explanations, which made this page twice as valuable!

In order to gain an access to the Bathroom Heat for Finished Basement (Installation in Pictures) page you have to pay an access fee of $1.86. Just click on the “Buy Now” button below. Once you pay, you will 

Installation of Combust. Air Intake

Combustion air is crucial because it provides the necessary oxygen for fuel to burn completely, ensuring safe and efficient operation of appliances like furnaces and water heaters; without adequate combustion air, incomplete burning can occur, leading to the production of harmful byproducts like carbon monoxide, which can be extremely dangerous to human health due to its odorless and colorless nature.

This chapter from the Energy Saving Edition book gives a detailed description of the Combustion Air Intake installation, which according to code must be an important element of your HVAC...

Combustion Air Intake in Pictures

For years, I was preaching about high necessity of the combustion air intake, but did not have one installed in my own house. I have both - high efficiency furnace and a water heater and a water heater. Key points about combustion air: Safety: Insufficient combustion air can lead to carbon monoxide buildup, posing a serious health risk. Efficiency: Proper combustion air allows for complete fuel burning, maximizing heat production and minimizing energy waste. Appliance function: All fuel-burning appliances require a continuous supply of fresh air to operate correctly. Ventilation: Proper ventilation systems are

Installation of Fresh  Air Intake 

If you already have a fresh air intake it’s important to determine how much fresh air you really need. In order to do that you have to insert a volume damper in the fresh air intake and repeat the above test. As you probably understand fresh air intake brings unconditioned air from the outside and furnace or A/C must increase their cycles to heat or to cool this air. By dampering the fresh air duct, you will reduce the cycles and save some energy and money!This chapter from the "Energy Saving Edition" book gives a detailed description of the Fresh Air Intake installation, which according to code must be an important element of your HVAC ductwork system...

Stop Cold Air from Combust. Air Intake

For years, I've heard about these issues related to the combustion air intakes, but never faced it myself before. However, recently I install one in my house and now I joined a legion of people who are trying to resolve this inconvenience once and for all!

At first as many of you, I've searched the web and all the solutions that I found there were just laughable:

1. Drop the pipe down into an empty 5-gallon bucket.
It doesn't work. You can try it at home just as I did - the result is obvious!

2. Forming very large P-trap with the flexible duct, I am

Closing Supply Registers

The basic idea behind this – you have to close supply vents in the rooms, which you do not use and it will conserve energy, and save money. I tried to do it in my house and I have discovered the fact that if I’m closing all vents which I’m thinking are unnecessary at the time I would spend even more energy than before. So, what do you have to do and how? My idea, and after you read this chapter you can try it in your house, is.....My house is a colonial with a furnace in the basement and the thermostat is located on the first floor. The furnace is 80000 BTU-s 90+ Carrier with 1200 cfm output. That means that the warmed-up air should be distributed by twelve 6” heat runs. However, in my house I have 19 heat runs on the first and second floors plus 4 in the finished basement, which ........ My house has:
Three bedrooms with two bathrooms upstairs and there are two heat runs in each bedroom and one heat run in every bathroomOn the first floor there is 11 heat runs
In the basement – 4

In order to save energy I am closing down .......

In addition, I keep all doors on the second floor ...... As a result.....

As you probably already figured it out it is kind of a big job: every day walk around your house and fool with the floor vents! No, not at all, I made covers from .......

However, here is one thing you have to take into consideration. I have built the HVAC system for my house by myself and I put some extra heats on the first and on the second floors. So, if you will try this energy saving tip in your house and it not gives you a reduction in the furnace’s cycle time or it will rise output temperature in your furnace you have to add one or two heat runs to the first floor.

Closing Cold Air Return Grill 

As everybody knows the cold air sinks down, but the warm air rises up. For example in the summertime, when warm air fills your house you have to run it through A/C coil to cool it down. As your A/C unit picks upwarm air from the ceiling, it will be replaced by cool air coming from the supply vents. This set up also helps you to save some energy because A/C unit is working more efficiently! (Watch the video below).

In the wintertime as you probably also know cold air is concentrating near the floor and over the time it fills house up to the thermostat’s level. So if you have ....  However, what is most important to understand that it’s going to add more comfort to your house and also save some money because it is reducing the furnace’s (heat pump) working cycle!In the first picture above, you can see a double cold air return in the corridor on the second floor where one of the ..... In addition, to the left hand side is another double cold air return that .....

In the second picture, you can see ...... I hope you understand that it’s ..... In the summertime, I will put .In the third picture, you can see my master bedroom’s wall where I also have ..... This actually not only saves me some energy but make this room very comfortable, because once furnace or A/C start working I feel the difference right away!As you can see in my house I have three..... (one more in the basement) and along with the others energy saving tips it gives me 20% saving on my utility bill. In your house you can make more .....!

If you decide to use this energy saving tip in your house you may have difficulties with the cold air return grill installation it’s why I'll give you some explanations to this topic in the chapter below.

How to Save Energy on Humidifier 

For buildings with a forced-air furnace, a humidifier may be built right into the furnace. They can also protect wooden objects, antiques and other furnishings which may be sensitive to damage from overly dry air In colder months, they may provide substantial energy savings, since as humidity increases, occupants feel warm at a lower temperature. These units are typically called bypass humidifiers (because they are connected between the heated and cold air return ducts, using the pressure difference between these ducts to cause some heated air to make a bypass through the humidifier and return to the furnace). The humidifier should usually be disabled during the summer months if air conditioning is used; air conditioners partially function by reducing indoor humidity. There are three basic styles:Drum style: A pipe brings water directly to a reservoir (a pan) attached to the furnace. The level of water in the pan is controlled by a float valve, similar to a small toilet tank float. The wick is typically a foam pad mounted on a drum and attached to a small motor; hot air enters the drum at one end and is forced to leave through the sides of the drum. When the hygrostat calls for humidity, the motor is turned on causing the drum to rotate slowly through the pan of water and preventing the foam pad from drying out.

Advantages include: Low cost Inexpensive maintenance (drum-style pads are cheap and readily available)

Disadvantages include: Requirement for frequent (approximately monthly) inspections of cleanliness and pad conditionWater evaporation even when humidification is not required (due to the pan of water which remains exposed to a high velocity air stream)

How to Save Money on Bath Fans 

For the last 20 or so years, the bath fans have been set in the building code and if your house not much older than that most likely that you have a bath fan in every bathroom. Of course, it is very important to have them. You can find a lot of information about how important to have them in your house, such as: “Moisture can be a problem in the bathroom. It can cause paint to peel, doors to warp and the accumulation of mold spores. A simple exhaust fan can greatly reduce or eliminate the many problems created by excess moisture”. However, believe me nobody tells you that through the bath fan you loose a lot of the conditioned air! Several years ago, I looked at the soffit cap, where the bath fan exhaust was terminated, and saw a couple of icicles hanging down! I knew that that bath fan never has been running because it located in the laundry room. I walked around the house and found that there are the same icicles on the other soffit caps. Therefore, I have decided to save some energy and of course money and put pieces of paper between the unit cover and the casing of the fan. However, I have not blocked the air completely to prevent the motor from overheating if I or somebody else in my family turns the fan on.

Of course, this energy saving tip is not for everyone. If you spend hours in the bathtub, or very smell sensitive you need the bath fan running in the full strength, otherwise this energy saving tip can significantly increase your furnace idle cycle.
Below you can learn how to install bath fan in your basement or in your attic.

Microwave Kitchen Exhaust

A microwave range (or "over-the-range microwave") combines the function of a microwave with a basic ventilation system, while a kitchen hood (or range hood) is primarily designed to effectively vent smoke, grease, and odors from cooking directly outside, making a kitchen hood the better choice for heavy cooking, especially if you want to significantly reduce cooking smells in your kitchen, while a microwave range can be a space-saving option for lighter cooking needs where strong ventilation isn't crucial.

This chapter describes all three cases of the kitchen vents installation: kitchen hood vent, microwave oven hood vent, and Jenn-Air fan vent; explains the roof and wall cap terminations; covers basement and attic ductwork...

Basement Kitchen Hood

A range hood is crucial in a finished basement kitchen because it effectively removes smoke, grease, odors, and moisture produced while cooking, which can be particularly problematic in a basement due to potential ventilation challenges, preventing the buildup of unwanted fumes and improving indoor air quality in the space.
Moisture control: Basements tend to have higher humidity levels, and cooking activities add further moisture, making a range hood essential for managing moisture levels and preventing mold growth. On the rare occasion, people who finish their basements off put an additional kitchen. This kitchen as any other may have a microwave hood or kitchen hood and on this page you can learn how to install it. On this page, you can see 20 pictures of the tools

Toe Kick Heat Run Installation

A Toe Kick Heat Run installation is necessary if you want to direct warm air from your HVAC system directly into the space below your kitchen cabinets, specifically the "toe kick" area, providing focused heat at floor level, which can be particularly beneficial in cold kitchens or for people who feel cold feet, while keeping the design clean and discreet by utilizing the space under cabinets that would otherwise be unused

Key points about Toe Kick Heat Runs: Targeted warmth: Unlike standard floor vents, a toe kick heat run delivers warm air directly to your feet, creating a more comfortable feel in the 

How to Cross Break Ductwork

Cross break ductwork is used to add rigidity and strength to large sheet metal ducts, preventing them from sagging or vibrating due to air flow, essentially making them more stable and reducing noise by minimizing movement of the metal, especially when using thinner gauge materials; blockers are used to direct airflow within the duct system by creating specific pathways and preventing air from taking unintended routes Key points about cross break ductwork: Stiffening effect: The "cross breaks" are small bends or creases made across the width of the duct, which helps to resist flexing and maintain its shape, especially in large spans of ductwork If you are making a transition for a new furnace or any other short piece of duct you may need to learn this simple technique: Take a piece of S-cleat or a folder, as you can see it in the picture, or any straight edge 

How to Repair Hole in Ductwork

There are many occasions when it is necessary to repair a hole in the sheet metal ductwork or plenum. If you decided to move a register, get rid of old leaking humidifier or relocate a heat run the hole...

Transition from Furnace to Plenum

When it comes to a transition between your new furnace and the old plenum you have to make one side of the future transition straight.
The best way of doing that is to move furnace...

Round to Square Transition

How to Make Pittsburgh Lock Seam

How to Do Elbow Adjustment

The elbow, which is a basic part of a jumper, consists of four parts. They are fastened to each other with a special seam. All these four parts can be moved back and forth in relation to each other that allow you to achieve definite purposes at installation...

How to Repair a Broken Elbow

Everyone in this trade considers a broken elbow as a waste. They can collect broken elbows and the other broken fittings and bring them back to the supply house. But if you are a homeowner maybe you don’t want to spend an extra time for unnecessary trip!

How to Make 8x6x8 Tee Guide 

What you are seeing in the picture is an 8”- 8”- 8” tee. This kind of tees could be pretty expensive, because there is no high demand for the fittings like this. Furthermore, if you need different kind of tee, let’s say 8”- 6”- 8”, or 8”- 7”- 8” tees...

How to Take Apart a Galvanized Pipe

Recently I was working in the basement, doing heat runs, and probably I was thinking too much how to improve my website! As a result I put  too many six inch pipes together – nine of them. When the job was done to my surprise I've discovered nine...

How to Work with Rectangular Duct

Learn how to measure, cut and put together a rectangular sheet metal duct the right way.

How to Measure and Cut Pipe

In order to find length of a piece of pipe you should measure a distance between...

How to Put  Pipe Together 

The round pipes’ snap lock seam is designed for easy connection, but sometimes...

How to Crimp Six Inch Pipe

If this is a whole pipe, it is already has a crimp. However, this crimp falls short about...

Oval Stack Extension Trick

How to Open up a Hem Tip

This thing in the photo is a slip-on cap. They use it as a top cap for a plenum. Normally this type of...

How to Hook up a Heat Run Trick

As you can see this heat run is surrounded by joists and 24” x 8” duct will be hung up right under…

How to Make an 8” (12”) Pipe

Have you ever needed a 12" galvanized pipe, or maybe 14”, or 16”? If so you can easily make...

My Sedona Vacation Report

In 2012 I’ve been on vacation in Sedona, AZ.
As you can see in the photos below, this small town has gorgeous terrain, but their stupid traditions of the HVAC rooftop unit installations significantly diminish beauty...

How to Make a Duct Tip

I wouldn’t say it happens daily, but sometimes you have to make a piece of duct.
Of course if you need 8’ or even 4’ of duct it would be better to order it from the shop. But if you need a shorter piece, then just make it...

How to Make Offset Transition

Do you want to know how to make a square to round offset transition just like a sheet metal guy would do? Do you want to know how to make it in a matter of minutes? Do you like this 8”x 8” square to 6” round 4” offset transition…

How to Make a Cone Reducer

For example, let’s make a reducer from 8” round to 6”.
Normally you don’t need to know a precise height of the future reducer, but if you do, you may calculate reducer side's height by using the following formulas:

Microwave Hood Vent Installation Manual

A microwave that you can see in the picture on the left top corner was working in the recirculation mode. Unfortunately it didn't serve the purpose and idea to exhaust it to the outside eventually came to fruition!..

Make Cold Air Duct Looks Straight Trick

As you can see in the picture to the left this duct is sagging down. Of course its not a big deal, but it looks unprofessional... So, what can you do to fix it? Some installers screw an S-cleat right next to the sagging corner, but it...

No, of course it isn't about red aviation offset snips or a hole cutter that you can see in the picture on the left. This tool would make you to cut holes even faster! Don't you want to know what this magic tool is? Great! For the price of only...

I know that many of you do not use templates at all! They just trace take-offs and that's it - done!! But it's wrong, it's sloppy and unprofessional. The holes made this way could be bigger or smaller and if you need to place...

How to Work with Round to Oval 90* Boot Trick

If you are working on heat-runs and using Round to Oval 90* Boots there is no problem if joists are 9" tall. However it isn't always the...

How to Use Sawhorses on Job Site Tips

If you would buy Tips for Residential HVAC Installation book by Larry Gardner (see it on this page on the right) in the Tip 1 he is writing:...

Double Return for Finished Basement Installation in Pics

Learn how to install a double cold air return in your finished basement project in the case if you are using metal studs, thermo-pan and flex...

How to Save Time on Dampers Inst. Tip

Everyone who is involved in this business knows how to install a damper. But what would you do if in the basement dozens of damper should be installed, what would you do to speed up the...

New Way of Snapping Plenum Together 

The company I'm currently working for is using large 20"(23") x 20" x 60" plenums. Actually to the job-site they deliver two pieces that you can see in the picture and my task is to measure, cut to length,...

How to Line up PVC 90 degrees & 45*-s

Well it's not very difficult to do. Everyone who is running PVC exhausts and intakes for the high efficiency furnaces doing that one way or the other. One would just eyeball it and another would use...

Pulte Homes Cold Air Returns Installations

Pulte Homes is a nationwide home building company and their way of running heat runs and cold air returns differs significantly  from the others. In the Ductwork Installation Guide e-book I alredy...