Hey Guys,
Thanks for all of the input! After looking at the home better, it belongs to friends, I've deducted that this was a renovation. It has to be! The ceiling has been sheet rocked and now has pop corn ceilings. It's a '71 or '72 home. This home has had a lot of modifications, so it stands to reason that for some reason they redid the heating ducts and moved them to the ceiling.
Here's my thought on the situation. A few of the homes here that are older and well kept were bought as vacation homes for the area years ago. We do live in a tourist designation. I'm thinking that someone used that home in the Summer for the most part. Even the swamp cooler is ducted into the heating vents. Very efficient for our 110 degree heat during the Summer. Doesn't work too well for our below zero temps in the Winter though!
They've been fighting this issue for years. They just broke down this year and asked why their pipes are always freezing. Well, we all know now! Our home is only a year or two older, but we've never had a pipe freeze! He's replaced heat tape every year and done all the right things... he just had no idea that the pipes should be near the heating ducts!
They've decided that they will be in the market for a new home. They have the property almost paid off, and plenty of equity to cover it. Neither are in great health and he can just barely keep up maintaining everything that goes wrong in an older home. They moved in about 14 years ago. Everything looked pretty, but obviously a few mistakes were made a long the way. This last one is sort of the hair that broke the camel's back.
Harry, Like I said, during the Summer, their home is always cool... too cool for me! I mild climates it stands to reason that it would work better, as heat rises. It just doesn't work in zero temps during the Winter LOL! Bad news there!
It would be okay, if they had left the old ducts accessible. Instead they redid the floors, in plywood, but covered up the old ducts!
It's a good lesson for anyone taking on renovations. 1. Get to know manufactured housing very well before picking up a hammer. 2. Know the area that you are living in really well!
Thanks again guys and gals!
Maureen
