Duct Repair

[glberen]

A couple of years ago several skunks made the underside of our house their home. They caused lots of damage and I'm currently working on rectifying that. Our AC ducting system is in poor shape. Multiple holes (skunk sized!). It is a square duct board system. I've temporarily covered the holes with a waterproof tape that I found at Home Depot and that, by itself, has managed to drop the ambient temperature in the home during 100 degree days to 82. It was at 86. I live in Texas.

What is the best way to properly repair the holes in the duct system? Could I go to Home Depot and buy the round metal ducts to replace the square duct board? I believe I saw several round to rectangle register adapters.

I'm just not sure what the best course of action is. If it's to repair the current duct system, how? If it's a new duct system, can I use metal?

The home is a double-wide, approximately 1450sq ft. It has an ancient Coleman split system unit. And that's the second part of my question: what would be the best thing to replace the AC with? A packaged unit? A heat pump? I don't know. Summers are brutal and winters are mild. My wife and I are very attracted to the idea of removing the noisy interior furnace to outside in a packaged unit and if we're re-doing the duct anyway....

Thoughts? Ideas? I think I've saved my marriage by at least getting the temp dropped to 82 with that tape - and that's with large sections of underbelly insulation missing.

[Robert]

Hi,

Packaged units are great and so are heat pumps. best to get a few HVAC Contractors who install in MH's to come out and give info and estimates.


Yes, you can use metal or aluminum, just has to be same size as now.


You can go bigger, but would need someone who knew how to handle needed changes if enlarging duct.


I do not like the duct board and would not repair it.



Make sure whatever unit if packaged is one approved for use with MH ducts.



So many variables that a sit down with contractor is really needed here.



Thanks for inquiring,
Robert

[glberen]

Hi,

Yes, you can use metal or aluminum, just has to be same size as now.

I do not like the duct board and would not repair it.

How would I determine size? The duct board is rectangular and the metal piping at Home Depot is round, so a physical size comparison is out. How do I determine the proper size of round tube to match the airflow produced by the rectangular duct?

I don't like the duct board either, however I can't afford to right now, nor do I want to replace the entire AC system in the middle of summer. We'll replace in winter, so I just need to make do until then.

Two ways of "making do" as I see it. Repair the current duct board or replace those bad sections with new duct board or metal piping. For the short term, I'd like to know the proper way to repair the duct board as well as how I could replace sections of the duct work with metal tubing - this way I don't have to take the entire system down during the hottest part of the year.

The couple of contractors we've had come out in the past have either not wanted to work under the house or they wanted outrageous amounts of money to do it. I can't really afford a contractor at the moment, so I need to repair the duct system myself, all with the aim of replacing the entire system in oct or nov.

[Robert]

Hi,

You cannot repair duct board if damaged effectively. The round duct won't fit in the space, you would need to make/fabricate rectangular duct or have it made up for you.


Thanks,
Robert

[glberen]

Thank you for your help! I finally found (hopefully) a supplier of duct board locally. I'll just rebuild the damaged sections for now until winter when I replace the entire system. Again, thanks for your help!

[Robert]

Hi,

You're very welcome. That's probably best choice if wanting to replace later.




Take care and best wishes,
Robert