Service
Hidden-duct central air
Central air for a house that was built without any, routed so the walls stay closed.
A small-duct system uses flexible ducts about two inches across and one air handler. They go where a standard duct can't: up a closet column, through an old chimney chase, across the joist bay above a hall. The survey decides which of those your house has.
Signs
When it's time to look at this.
No ducts in the house
A rowhouse built for radiators has no space set aside for air.
Window units in every room
Several units on one floor are often a sign the house wants one system.
The top floor never cools
Heat rises in a tall narrow house, and the third floor pays for it.
Cornices and plaster you want to keep
Original plaster is part of what the house is worth.
Plans for an addition or a finished attic
A route is easiest to plan before the room is closed.
A system near the end of its life
A replacement is the moment to move the equipment out of the living space.
The visit
What happens at the survey.
- 01
Step 1: We walk every floor
Closets, chimney chases, the cellar, the attic and the roof, with a tape, a flashlight and a small inspection camera.
- 02
Step 2: We find the route
The trunk path and the branch paths, and any wall that would have to open.
- 03
Step 3: We draw it
The route on your floor plans, with the air handler, each outlet and the outdoor unit located.
- 04
Step 4: We write the plan
Equipment by model, each line of work, permits, and what is left alone.
- 05
Step 5: You decide
You keep the drawing and the plan. Nothing starts until you say so.
Cost
What drives the cost.
We don't print prices here. These are the things that move the number, and the written plan prices each one.
Number of floors and zones
A three-floor rowhouse and a one-floor twin are different jobs.
How hard the route is
A closet chase is simpler than a joist bay behind a cornice.
Equipment
Capacity from a load calculation, and one-stage or variable speed.
The outdoor unit
A rear yard, a roof or an areaway, and any crane or hoist.
Electrical
A dedicated circuit, and panel work if the load needs it.
Permits and historic review
Mechanical permits, and drawings prepared if the property is designated.
Finishing
Small repairs at each outlet, and any wall opening the plan names.
Questions
Questions about this work.
Will my plaster survive?
Where a route exists, the plaster is left alone. Where a wall has to open, the plan says so before work starts.
How big are the outlets?
Round or slim, a few inches across, set in the ceiling or baseboard.
How long does the install take?
The plan gives the days for your house. It depends on the number of floors and on the route.
Related
Often planned with it.
Ductless in old rooms
For rooms and additions the route can't reach.
See ductlessRadiators and boilers
Keep the heat you have while you add cooling.
See radiators