Crawl Space Return Plenum

[LibertyTree]

Here we have a case of the infamous "California plenum". This genius design uses the entire crawlspace as a plenum and you just simply cut a bunch of holes in the floor and voilà! No need to deal with all that pesky piping. The picture you see is the furnace sitting on a ponywall in the crawlspace, the sheet metal is just panning to block off the california plenum. Also, the supply ducting starts out with 5' of 7x25 that feeds one heat run, then reduces down to 7x8 (yes, 7x8) and feeds 7 8" heat runs (yes, 7 of them off of 7x8). Sorry ma'am but you're going to need new everything...

[kchest4063]

I must be missing something here, so please forgive me...but where's the flue pipe?

[CityHvac]

At least there's a light with a pull cord....lol

[LibertyTree]

I must be missing something here, so please forgive me...but where's the flue pipe?

Its behind that sheet metal flashing and it looks like this!

[LibertyTree]

Also notice the artsy way in which the gas pipe is chopped right into the furnace door

[GAacTech]

Installers that do this should be brought upon charges!!!

[barneyhvac]

So there a problem?

[sammyray]

Its behind that sheet metal flashing and it looks like this!

omg!!!

[kneehigh]

So is the crawl space air tight, are there vents i the foundation with a concrete floor?

[LibertyTree]

So is the crawl space air tight, are there vents i the foundation with a concrete floor?

There are crawlspace vents, they were blocked off by these genius's. I'm surprised no one is flabbergasted by the fact that the supply duct is 7X8 with a bunch of 8" runs coming off of it... I guess a picture is worth a thousand words

[tunnel_rat]

Gotta love Cali. Now you know how we get Nancy Pelosi....................

[budman21901]

WTF?

[LibertyTree]

She just called today asking if we really need to replace the ductwork, someone told her she didn't have to...

[mark beiser]

Kind of reminds me of a change out of an upflow system years ago where the furnace was sitting on the floor. The salesman had just assumed that there was a return plenum and ducts under the house.

I pulled the furnace out and there was just just open to the crawl space.

[semar]

What a mess!
In reality crawlspace/plenums work well if they are constructed as per guideline.
For detailed instructions read: Plen-Wood System by NAHB research foundation
NAHB Research Foundation, Inc. PO Box1627, Rockville, Maryland 20850, 301-762-4200.
They are still code compliant.
Looking at the posted pictures; whoever build that contraption had no idea what he was doing

[mayguy]

Wow!

And I am guessing they couldn't get to the air filter??

[enb54]

Whoa!

My brother and I are coming over to help with your "igloo" duct work job, we just need some airfare money...

Good luck, sounds like your customer needs some too...

[LibertyTree]

So I just got a call yesterday from a bone-headed general contractor asking me to clarify my proposal. I had no idea who he was or what he was talking about. After a minute I deduced that it was for this job with the crawl space return. In a meat headed, condescending way he informed me that he was going to take care of the ductwork and that I needed to lower my price on the furnace portion if I wanted any chance to get the job. He told me that in order to get the price lower his guys will take the old furnace out and dispose of it. When I told him that doesn't matter he got all kinds of pissed off "You mean to tell me that that's not worth $800, come on get real buddy!" At this point after this creep had the nerve to cut into my work, beat me up on my already reasonable price and then tried to berate me I got pretty angry. I went into a tirade with this guy on the phone and told him what the deal was. When I was done he wasn't such a tough guy anymore... So there goes that job. I looked up his company and found that they have only been in business 11 months and already have an F rating at BBB with 2 unresolved complaints and a couple more bad online reviews. I suspect their license will be revoked within the next 2 years at this rate. This is number 42 why I don't work for general contractors.