Home AC question

[ludakris04]

My AC was installed about 1 1/2 years ago. I had noticed an air leak and just taped it up. We'll this season I noticed again, forgetting about my first "repair". So I tapped it up nice. Then I looked down and found mu first tape repair leaning against the wall.. (Foil tape).
So I realized now that the duct bows out and enough air is getting by to render the tape useless. Before I call to have them fix it, is there an easy fix to save me time?
My first thought was a couple of screws but I am not to sure of what is behind it, the coil is there somewhere.
Thanks

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[Syberia]

It looks like it's two pieces of metal overlapping. If so, couldn't you just JB Weld or Liquid Nails it shut, then foil tape or caulk the seam? Your adhesive of choice should block all or most of the airflow so the tape won't be forced off again.

 

[ishiboo]

Um. Installed by who, Walmart?

I'm no HVAC guy, but usually around here the coil is installed in the plenum above or to the side of the furnace. This appears to be a pre-made setup with the coil, hacked together with existing ductwork? (Normally they'd make a flange and screw it to the top of the plenum that way)

Check inside but the coil should be below giving you plenty of room for some 1/2" self tapping sheet metal screws. Then cover with the foil tape again. You should have the rigid foil tape that's like really thick aluminum foil, not the shiny flexible stuff like tape. Intertape makes a REALLY good tape for this.

 

[metaldad]

well typed, mr ishiboo.
however, a properly made plenum to case coil connection should need no tape for sealing.
From the little that is shown, the work done isn't professional

 

[ludakris04]

These are the responses you want to hear about a new house... Ugh..
It looks like they taped it then applied some sort of painted on sealer, neither worked long term..
Everything was new upon install.

And it's a goodman unit if that matters.
The coil is on top of the furnace.

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[slice]

25 yrs. retired. Tape the joint with fresh silver backed tape. Get some duct mastic. Apply tape. Apply mastic over it with paint brush . Let dry. Done.
Home Depot or such has material. Just a hack job by some guys with 8 th grade education. And it passes inspections. Go figure. Good luck. Easy fix.

 

[acmikee]

what a hack job.
if you can find some peal and seal tape use that. should be able to buy it at any HVAC wholesale house. or use foil tape and brush on duct sealent from home depot.

 

[joel63]

25 yrs. retired. Tape the joint with fresh silver backed tape. Get some duct mastic. Apply tape. Apply mastic over it with paint brush . Let dry. Done.
Home Depot or such has material. Just a hack job by some guys with 8 th grade education. And it passes inspections. Go figure. Good luck. Easy fix.

This kind of **** seems to be done every day.

Air handlers always seem to be the most abused installations.

Masitc and fab are your best friends on this repair.

Hope you can get it straighten out.

 

[ludakris04]

So they did the correct thing, just poor execution? I have the tape, will check out the mastic...


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[Falcon67]

Get a big bucket of mastic and mud that seam, then remove all your grills and mastic the connections where the duct meets the metal shell and around the edges where the shell meets the drywall. Then go mastic the duct connections to the plenum. From looking at that, you'll pick up 30~50% more air and efficiency in the system for less than $20 and some work. Also - since it's an upright, check the air plenum below the air handler. Make sure it's sealed up so that air only enters from the interior house grill/air filter. I'd about guarantee you your return is sucking air from other places, including maybe down a stud wall from the attic.

None of this is "code" and inspectors don't care. That machine pulls a hell of a vacuum and you might be shocked as to where air comes in. Our installation looked great - until an air test showed we were losing 350 CFM from duct connections and other places.

 

[ludakris04]

Get a big bucket of mastic and mud that seam, then remove all your grills and mastic the connections where the duct meets the metal shell and around the edges where the shell meets the drywall. Then go mastic the duct connections to the plenum. From looking at that, you'll pick up 30~50% more air and efficiency in the system for less than $20 and some work. Also - since it's an upright, check the air plenum below the air handler. Make sure it's sealed up so that air only enters from the interior house grill/air filter. I'd about guarantee you your return is sucking air from other places, including maybe down a stud wall from the attic.

None of this is "code" and inspectors don't care. That machine pulls a hell of a vacuum and you might be shocked as to where air comes in. Our installation looked great - until an air test showed we were losing 350 CFM from duct connections and other places.

Thanks for the advice.. I paid attention to this stuff in my old house and just had blind faith it would be good in a new house...
I thought going from a 60+ yo house to a New house would rid me of home projects, boy was I wrong.....

 

[Falcon67]

Thanks for the advice.. I paid attention to this stuff in my old house and just had blind faith it would be good in a new house...
I thought going from a 60+ yo house to a New house would rid me of home projects, boy was I wrong.....

Our old house was built in 1928, I fixed a bunch of issues including re-wiring to remove knob-and-tube, insulation, rebuilt both bathrooms, plumbing, closets, kitchen, *****, replaced doors, etc, etc. So then we move to a "new" house, 1700 sq/ft, upscale type, built to code and such in 2001. Just paint and carpet, move on in. Right...

A-coil matted with dirt and dog hair, air filter not changed for at least 3 years.

No ground rods on the house panel, bath HLV units both wired with 12-3 using the copper safety as return, master bath vanity light used bare copper for switch leg, no GFCIs in garage, some plugs wired backwards, few missing safety ground.

Kitchen and bath vents - no ductwork. AC ductwork as described above.

There's your new house. If you want to really check your house out, get a blower test done by an energy audit company. Cost us $100 to find out the house had a zillion air leaks. And maybe $50 to fix the basics and save some energy $.

Last LOL - thermal camera audit showed 12" of insulation missing in the last wall cavity at the NE corner of the dining room. They ran out and said screw it. Too expensive to dig in there and fix, but it's there.