Duct System Defects
Heating and Cooling Duct Work Inspections for Adequacy, Safety, Defective Materials, Asbestos, Mold
     

DUCT SYSTEM & DUCT DEFECTS - home AIR FILTERS for HVAC SYSTEMS AIR FLOW IMPROVEMENT, HVAC AIR FLOW MEASUREMENT CFM AIR LEAKS in RETURN DUCTS AIR LEAKs in SUPPLY DUCTS ALLOY SYSTEMS FLEXDUCT ASBESTOS DUCTS, HVAC BALANCING AIR DUCT FLOW DUCT & AIR HANDLER ODORS DUCT in CONCRETE FLOOR DUCT DAMAGE, MECHANICAL DUCT ROUTING & SUPPORT DUST, HVAC CONTAMINATION STUDY DUST SAMPLING PROCEDURE FIBERGLASS DUCT, RIGID CONSTRUCTION FIBERGLASS HVAC DUCTS FIRE DAMPERS in DUCTWORK FLOOD DAMAGED DUCT WORK FLOOD DAMAGE HEATING EQUIP FLEXDUCT GOODMAN GRAY

FLEXDUCT OWENS CORNING INCREASING RETURN AIR LEAKY DUCT CONNECTIONS LOCATION OF REGISTERS & DUCTS MOLD in AIR HANDLERS & DUCT WORK NOISES in DUCT SYSTEM ODORS in AIR HANDLERS & DUCT WORK OWL FLEXDUCT RETURN AIR REGISTERS & DUCTS RETURN DUCT AIR LEAKS SOUNDPROOFING for DUCTWORK SUPPLY DUCTS & REGISTERS SUPPLY DUCT AIR LEAKS TRANSITE PIPE AIR DUCTS UNDERSIZED RETURN DUCTS UNSAFE DUCT OPENINGS VIBRATION DAMPENERS WATER & ICE IN DUCT WORK WET CORRODED DUCT WORK ZONE DAMPER CONTROLS

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Question: How do I Diagnose Too Little Cool Air Flow Downstairs?

I have a 2 story house the air flows out the registers heavy upstairs but downstairs hardly any flows and from one there seems to be none. i inspected ductwork but find no visible pinching.

- Stephen

Reply: Tips for diagnosing uneven air conditioning air flow between floors in a building

Tips for diagnosing uneven air conditioning air flow:

Stephen hasn't provided much detail about how the air conditioning system in his home is designed and installed except that he doesn't see any duct pinching [DUCT ROUTING & SUPPORT], so pending some feedback we start with some general cool air flow diagnostic tips.

In a two story house at which air conditioning is provided by a single air handler, balancing the delivery of air flow can require extra attention to duct routing, use of balancing dampers in the ductwork, return air register location, and supply air register location and even multiple air filters or air filter condition.

In contrast, if the home has separate air handlers, one for upstairs and a second for downstairs his cool air flow problem would be simpler to explain.

• Is this an A/C retrofit job? Just double check - if this is an A/C retrofit job onto a home that already had warm air heating, and if the A/C air handler was put in the attic, perhaps it is ONLY connected to the first floor ductwork. Rule that condition in or out first.

Stephen reports heavy air flow upstairs and poor air flow downstairs.

• Check for balancing dampers [see BALANCING AIR DUCT FLOW] : since it is easier to push cool air down through ducts from an upper level to a lower level in a building than it is to push cool air upwards from lower to upper floors, the installer may have included airflow balancing dampers - look for these in the visible and accessible ductwork as well as at individual supply and return registers.
• Check ductwork connections. Perhaps there are none or too few delivery ducts to downstairs? In some air conditioning diagnosis jobs we found that an air duct had simply become disconnected entirely.
• Check for return air obstructions: if you are trying to blow cool air into rooms whose doors are shut and if your system uses a centralized air return register, air supply may be blocked.

Let us know what you find. It may help other readers.

Question: poor air flow out of HVAC registers on lower floor of two story house

i have a 2 story house the air flows out the registers heavy upstairs but downstairs hardly any flows and from one there seems to be none. i inspected ductwork but find no visible pinching - Stephen 5/21/011

Reply:

Stephen: see our Questions and Answers section we've added above. There you will find some suggestions for diagnosing the problem of poor cool air flow downstairs. Keep us posted and send along photos of your system if you can. What we learn may help other readers.

Question: My air conditioner was tested and cleaned but now it's not working. What else can I check?

I've had my unit tested and cleaned and told that all looks good however the house does not cool off and continues to run. What else can I check? - Elise 6/2/2011

Reply:

Elise, if your air conditioner is not cooling the home and keeps on running (the thermostat is never being satisfied), I'd start with the diagnostic articles listed under LOST COOLING CAPACITY - see the link at the left of this page.

If you feel air coming out of the supply registers but it's not cool that will suggest one direction of investigation (lost refrigerant, for example); but if there is poor air flow itself out of the supply registers that's a different direction of investigation (crimped, blocked, disconnected ductwork, dirty filter, dirty squirrel cage blower fan).

It's odd to be told that "all looks good" on your system but then to find it's not working. So why not give a call back to whomever you paid to clean and test the system and ask them to take a more careful look.

Let us know what you're told - it will surely help other readers who are having trouble with their air conditioning system.

Question: Air conditioner is not cooling - air not coming out of registers

We hadn't turned our air conditioner for a few months and when we turned it on it didn't work. We checked the fuses and pushed the high pressure reset. Now it runs and the air is cold but it doesn't seem to really cool the house the way it used to. I was reading we might need to clean the coils but I also noticed no air comes from one vent. I climbed under the house to check the ducts and there's no leak but a part that dips down seems heavy and squishy like there's liquid or gel inside it. Is this normal? Can that cause the pressure switch to trip? Can it cause the system not to work as efficiently and cool the house? The air feels pretty cold coming out, but it doesn't seem to come out with a lot of force (although it's a big house and I'm not sure how much force it came out with before). Thanks for any suggestions. - Hillary 6/2/2011

Reply:

Hillary:

If the air coming out of supply registers is cold and has good force or air flow, but the house still seems not to be cooling down enough, it could be that the system needed to run for a while to not just cool down house air but also the warm building interior surfaces and contents, all of which have thermal mass.

If airflow is weak at all registers I'd be looking for a dirty filter or cooling coil at the air handler.

If AC airflow is weak just at some registers I'd be looking for a duct damper that is shut, a register control that is closed, or ductwork that has become crimped, crushed, or disconnected.

Question: The AC is running but not cool - should air coming out of our outdoor condenser unit be warm?

We turned on our a/c but the air blowing out is not cool. We had the unit serviced last year. Should the air blowing out the top of the condensing unit outside be warm? - Eli 6/3/2011

Reply:

The air blowing out of your condenser unit (the outside compressor condenser that converts low-pressure refrigerant gas back to a liquid refrigerant) should indeed be warm.

Eli: The air blowing out of the supply registers in your building should be cool. If your system is not blowing cool air you may have a refrigerant leak that should be found and fixed before the system is re-charged. Take a look at the LOST COOLING CAPACITY A/C diagnostic articles found at Related Topics for details on how to figure out what's wrong with your cooling system.

Question: Sweating air conditioning ductwork - condensation on or in HVAC ducts

The ductwork in the basement is not insulated and is sweating alot. i have never noticed this in the past what could cause the ductwork to sweat so bad. The house is cool and the unit is cycling. - William 6/21/11

Reply:

Sweating ductwork: means that you are seeing water on the exterior of the metal ductwork system. Although we often use the word "sweating" ducts or pipes, it's not really sweat - it's not water coming through the metal, it's moisture from humid air surrounding the ducts condensing on the cooler duct surface. You can get this problem inside ductwork too, you just can't see it so easily.

The solutions to this problem are these:

1. Insulate the duct exterior surfaces
2. Check for sources of unusual indoor moisture or leaks and fix those.
3. Add dehumidification to the area where you are seeing this problem - for example using a portable dehumidifier along with a condensate pump that can empty the dehumidifier for you even when it is left on, running, and unattended.

Question: What should be the temperature of air coming out of our HVAC ducts?

Can anyone tell me what the temp of the air coming out the ducts should range? - Steve 6/26/11

Reply:

Measuring air temperatures at a supply duct is very tough to map to a standard because of the very large variation in circumstances that affect the output temperature where you're measuring: duct lengths, routing, insulation, air velocity, filter condition, blower cleanliness, refrigerant charge, and other variables are all at work. That's why we usually check air temperatures right at the cooling system - at the air handler.

There we look at the temperature drop across the cooling coil itself. If we find that the temperature difference is normal (say 15 degF) we know that the cooling system is working. Then after considering air velocity, any further complaints about the system's cooling capacity need to be examined against the ductwork and similar possible problem areas.

Details about measuring air conditioner operating temperatures are at OPERATING TEMPERATURES

Question: Is it legal for dirt to get imbedded in fiberglass lined heating ducts

The mobile home we live in has hard backed fiberglass insulation for the heat ducting. When trying to clean it is impossible because the dirt and debris imbeds itself into the insulation. Is this legal in Wyoming? - Laurie Sorum 8/2/11

Reply:

Laurie I can't speak for Wyoming building code details - you'll want to take that question to your local building department. But certainly using solid fiberglass type insulating board for HVAC ducting is very common throughout North America.

And I agree that mechanical cleaning of fiberglass ductwork is generally impossible to perform without risking damaging the insulation, damaging its inside coating, risking increase of the release of fiberglass particles into the building air, and actually increasing the future accumulation of dust and debris on the disturbed inside surface of the ductwork. Typically the components of house dust that collects in HVAC ducts are dominated by fabric fibers and skin cells. But high levels of dirt in the ductwork can impede airflow, and if moisture condenses in the ducts or there are leaks into the duct system that material can support problematic mold growth.

A better solution to dirty fiberglass ductwork interior is its prevention by installation and regular changing of the system air filter, and assuring that there is not significant bypass air leakage around the air filter.

Once the ductwork has become "dirty" you have these treatment options:

- Install and maintain improved air filters to reduce the movement of debris particles into air distributed into the occupied space

- replace the most-damaged or dirty duct sections (the materials are not costly but labor cost will be involved)

- spray the duct interior with an encapsulant - not an approach I personally like too much due to its cost, questions about long term reliability, and questions about thoroughness of treatment

Question: Our A/C system doesn't cool and the experts now say the ducts don't match the cooling unit

My property located in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. It uses to have a 2 Ton’s A/C work for this 2 floor old building more than 20 years. 5 years ago this 2 Ton’s A/C was upgraded into a new 3 Ton’s one instead of by a local cooling company. The sales representative told me the bigger A/C has more power capacity with high efficiency, it would be better than never before. But unfortunately Since the new 3 Ton’s one was installed, it never could make cool enough air to properly work for the building, In hot summer days, when you touched the air come out from the registers, it absolutely was not cold. The inside temperature was above 30 C degree or more even the A/C running in 24 hours a day.

I contacted same cooling company many times in every year, they always sent someone to check it, but the issue never could be solved. In the Third year, they gave me the conclusion was my original duct work system doesn't match new 3 Ton’s A/C and the original duct system needs to be improved with extra $2000 cost. I refused to accept this offer. I believe they installed wrong size A/C or any other reason because I never had problem with 2Ton’s A/C work at the same duct system condition. I really don’t know what was real reason caused the problem happened, if I ask them change 2 Ton’s A/C back, is this a reasonable requirement? - Charley 10/12/11

Reply:

Charley, indeed there could be a duct size or other duct problem, or a fan problem, but to help sort out your question I'd start by measuring the air temperature drop across the cooling coil. If it's not between 15 and 22 degF drop, then the coil is not cooling and the system may not be properly charged. In other words we need to first find out how the existing equipment is working.

Take a look at LOST COOLING CAPACITY.

Question: I have warm air blowing out of the cool air vents

I just bought my first house so i don't know a lot about home maintenance but I've noticed that i have warm air blowing out of the cold air intake vents? Is this normal? If not, what should i for? - Julie 1/13/12

Reply: from Carl

Julie, use a sheet of toilet paper to see if you have positive pressure or negative pressure at your air diffusers. If you have positive pressure at you cold air returns and negative at your diffusers, there are a few problems you may be faced with. The most common is an in-experienced connected your furnace up wrong to the supply and return plenums. Without seeing the unit, some motors are reversible - this would apply only if it is installed right though. Another possibility is they chose the wrong type of flow pattern. eg upflow versus down flow. Good luck. - Carl

Thanks for helping out Carl.

Julie: if you haven't done so be sure that your thermostat and controls are correctly set to cooling. For example if ductwork runs through a hot attic and the A/C is not in cooling mode and the indoor air handler blower fan is set to manual on during hot weather, the fan will run continuously but will just circulate hot air through the home.

Question: My house is very dusty - it keeps clogging the air filters

The inside of the duct where I replace my filter monthly is very dirty in comparison to the same duct in my mother's house, friends' homes and in my prior home (with metal ductwork) just 3 miles away. My neighbor's duct is as dirty as mine and she says she has to dust daily. The dust in my house, built in 1998, is excessive, but numerous HVAC companies that have been here that say the flex ductwork is fine and that this enormous amount of dust is "normal". Both my dog and I are constantly sick with respiratory ailments and other infections, and we are getting worse as our immune systems continue to break down (as shown on blood tests).

In my previous home, which I owned for 17 years and is very similar to my "newer" house, I only had to dust every 2 weeks, not every 2 hours as is the case in this house were I well enough to dust every 2 weeks. I am spending thousands of dollars on vet treatment for my therapy dog and medical treatment for myself, but I'm thinking that I'd save money if I could just get this dust reduced. I have done everything

I can on my own using the EPA's guidelines, but I don't think I can single-handedly replace all the flexible ductwork. By the way, I live in a suburb outside of Phoenix, Arizona, where the summer temperatures can be as high as 126 degrees Fahrenheit. I imagine the attic can get to at least 150 or higher. Surely the flexible ductwork would deteriorate in these conditions, so why would builders install it? Does anyone have any recommendations or advice for me? I am willing to pay to have this system properly repaired or replaced but even during these cooler months, no company seems to want to take this on. Is there no one in the U.S. who actually "works" anymore? - Kathy Villa 2/13/12

Reply:

Kathy, yes there are some of who still work. Flexible duct is a popular method in many warmer climates. The integrity of these materials should withstand the temperatures under 200 to 300 deg. F. with no problems. I only install metal and seal and/or insulation on it. If the cold air return is improperly sized and inadequately sealed, that can cause dust problems as well. Assuming you have AC, it would be interesting to know what your evaporator coil looked like. Consider the dust sources as well: quality of carpet, dust mites, animal products, body dandruff, etc. If the house is too tight with inadequate make up air in the ventilation, this can contribute to. Good luck - Carl

Kathy: adding to Carl's suggestions, if your home happens to have one of a few brands of flex duct whose vinyl external covering disintegrates in hot environments (see GOODMAN GRAY FLEXDUCT for an example) you'd want the ductwork replaced. Otherwise, the use of flexduct continues to be economical and widely used;

Before talking about replacing ductwork (read expensive) it makes sense to have an expert inspect the system, map its design and layout, and give you an evaluation. Then you can discuss the duct routing and insulation improvements for the ductwork with your HVAC installer.

Next, in Arizona where you live the cooling season is long and demanding - so your HVAC system may be running more hours than it did in your more-hot home. And of course the house layout, HVAC system design and layout, and even the blower and filter system may be quite different.

Also depending on the type and size of your dog, s/he may be a source of indoor dust as well. Pets who move in and out of doors can bring in a lot of soil dust.

Question: why is it easier for cold air to flow downwards through ductwork than upwards?

please explain, how is it easier for cold air to flow thru a duct downwards than it is upwards. Just exactly how do you A0 calculate this? B0 measure this? - Tom Schlachter 3/20/12

Reply:

Tom, cool air is more dense than warm air (Gas Laws) so a cubic foot of cool air weighs more than a cubic foot of warm air. The exact difference in weight of a cubic foot of air at different temperatures depends on the actual temperatures of the two volumes of air being compared. In plain English this simply means that cool air, because it is heavier than warm air, will flow downwards in a vertical air duct more easily than it will flow upwards - because in the "down" direction, the weight of the air tends to force it down, assisting any push imparted by the blower fan.

Charles' Law:   V1/T1=V2/T2  says that if we raise the temperature of a cubic foot of air, the air will want to occupy a larger volume.

Because warm air tends to rise and cool air tends to fall in a building, and because in a hot climate the upper floors of a home will be hotter than lower floors (warm air rises), if we're trying to cool the upper floors in a structure the HVAC designer/installer may decide to locate the air conditioning air handler in the building attic rather than the basement.

It's easier for an air handler to blow cool air down than up because gravity gives the cool air a downwards weight.

It's easier for a warm air furnace to blow warm air up than down because warm air, weighing less than cooler air around it, will rise in that environment.

We discuss Boyles Law and Charles' Law in detail at WATER TANK PRESSURE CALCULATIONS.

Question: We have 10 8-inch round air supply ducts in the ceiling but we don't feel enough air coming out

I bought this building and the central system has 1 16x25 in return. they have 10 8in round supply ducts in the ceiling. It won't cool right and you can barely feel any air coming from the ducts. Do they have to many supply ducts so the air won't circulate right?

Reply:

Before thinking about adding more ducts or even questioning the number installed, let's figure out what's going on with your air conditioning system that is causing "hardly any air flow"

Look for problems such as

• an iced-over cooling coil
• a blower unit that is not turning on
• disconnected, squashed, crimped, or leaky air ducts
• a dirty air filter that is blocking air flow
• a dirty air handler blower that spins but doesn't move much air

Each of those problems as well as other causes for reduced airflow are here at InspectApedia - use the links listed at Related Topics or the search box you find at page top to find more details. Or start diagnosing the trouble at LOST COOLING CAPACITY.

Question: why does cool air flow on my second floor but not my first floor

Single zone air conditioning system unit in attic second floor is fine first floor two ducts not air flow - Dan 7/1/12

Reply:

Dan, if your air conditioning air handler unit is located in the home's attic, the closest rooms to the unit will be those on the second floor. Unless balancing dampers were used in the duct work, you may be getting more air flow thorough the shorter closer ducts and registers (the second floor ceilings) than to the first floor.

If your air conditioner air handler is located in the home's first floor or basement but the first floor is receiving warmer or less cooling than the upper floor, again look for and adjust duct balancing dampers.

Question: Why is air coming out of one of my air conditioning ducts much warmer than air from the others?

I am in Phoenix az. There are three ducts coming from the cool air plenum to cool a 2100 sq ft home. The OAT is approx. 112 deg F. Two of the ducts coming from the plenum cool those parts of the house ok. The third duct coming out of the top of the plenum is smaller than the two coming out the sides. That third duct from the top cools two small bedrooms and a bath.

The temps at the register are about 60 to 65 degrees in the registers that are cooled by the ducts coming out the sides of the plenum, but the third duct (smaller) coming from the top gives a temp of about 78 degrees in the three registers that it feeds. Can you tell me what the problem could be?
I have looked at the plenum to see the setup for the three cooling areas to the house. I have removed the zip tie from the small duct at the top and pulled back the insulation. It does feel like there may be some cool air leakage coming from between the insulation and the plastic -wire wrapped "hose" inside the insulation. I have not removed the duct from the plenum because I did not have the thermal tape to put back on to seal the plastic "hose" to the plenum. - Kyle 7/6/12

Reply:

Kyle as we replied to your separate email (readers please ask questions just once) you are on the right track to check the smaller duct system thoroughly, including an inspection of it's interior for crimps, blockages, leaks, lost connections, a closed damper, etc.

If the problem dates from original installation the size, routing or a similar problem may be at fault.

Question: The AC ducts in my third garage don't blow cool air. How do I diagnose the trouble?

I have a third garage which shows AC duct but does not blow air in. how do I figure out what the problem is? - Ritin 7/16/12

Reply:

Ritin,

This sounds easy enough to me that I must be missing something in your question. If you have one air handler/blower unit and it is supplying three AC Duct trunks, then if two of them blow air and the third does not you're looking for a closed duct damper, disconnected, crushed, crimped, or collapsed air duct.

If the third garage is a free standing building and has ductwork but no air handler you would not expect to find air coming out of the ductwork - it's there for future addition of an HVAC system.

Question: warm air is coming out of what I think is a return vent

I have central air and a clean filter all the vents are blowing cold air. The problem is there is a vent above the thermostats and air return that is blowing out hot air when ever the air handler or fan is on. This is keeping the temp too high for the ac to turn off - Tamar B in SC 7/26/12

The vent looks different than the return and cold air vents I think the suction of the return is causing it to draft hot air what could cause this? - Tanner 7/26/12

Reply:

Tanner, if the "vent" has no operable louvers to open and shut it then indeed it could be a return air register. Bur return ducts should be under negative pressure - air moving in not out of the register.

First map out the duct system to see what is installed.
Next look for a misrouted or improperly connected duct - it would be very unusual for air movement through a return duct system to cause one of it's branches to blow out instead. An mistake in where a small add on return duct was connected, say right atop and ahead of the cooling coil would however cause the problem you describe.

More common would be a cool air supply duct that is routed through a hot space and perhaps has lost its insulation.

Question: A cat jumped out of the HVAC duct floor vent - the owner says this is normal and is there for ventilation

I am looking at buying a double wide through an estate sale. The "trustee" of the estate is the deceased owners daughter, who know very little to anything about mobile homes (as I).

I am hiring an inspector, how ever he wont be available for 3 weeks and I have an immediate concern.

While standing in the living room I was startled out of my skin to see a cat jump into the living room from a floor vent ( vent cover was pulled off) I looked into the vent and it appears to be completely open - no duct work - just a view of the ground beneath.

The daughter said that that was common and is there for ventilation.

LOL Tell me this isn't so! - Gail 9/7/012 (originally posted at http://inspectapedia.com/structure/mobileinspections.htm )

Reply: HVAC ducts & jumping cats: let's keep pet doors and HVAC ductwork as separate topics

Gail,

Thank you SO much for the wonderful cat - HVAC system question.

Yes I can tell you "it isn't so" - that is, it is not good practice to simply leave floor vents in a home open to the outdoors such that anything, including a cat (or worse, a raccoon) can hop in for a visit.

I can imagine a few reasons why you might have found the missing duct work and open floor vent, all adding up to some more trouble and work for you. For example most likely there was a heating or heating and cooling system that used air but that has disintegrated, been damaged, fallen off, or was simply removed and abandoned.

I suppose a less ridiculous explanation that the owner could have invented might have been to explain

"Oh I forgot to tell you, that's just Marion, my mom's cat. Marion comes with the house. The hole in the floor is her pet door."

Sometimes too, when warm or cool air delivery into a home is poor in flow rate or quantity, people try to improve system operation by adding more return air to the system by just cutting an opening that lets outdoor air into the system somewhere. The problem is this is the most expensive possible way to heat or cool a home since it's a "one way" design - we take un-conditioned air from outside, heat it or cool it, then try moving it into the living area.

Really the most significant implication of the cat in the hat, I mean cat in the vent discovery in your possible future home's heating system is that it's a red flag to watch out for other work done or "problems solved" by the same person on that home - as you may find other amateur workmanship that lengthens the list of repairs and improvements needed to make the home safe and habitable to normal standards.

Keep me posted, and send along photos if you can (use the CONTACT US link at page bottom or top) - especially if ... the cat comes back.

Daniel

...

• Thanks to AMark Cramer, Tampa Florida, for assistance in technical review of the "Critical Defects" section and for the photograph of the deteriorating gray Owens Corning flex duct in a hot attic. Mr. Cramer is a Florida home inspector and home inspection educator.
• Thanks to Jon Bolton, an ASHI, FABI, and otherwise certified Florida home inspector who provided photos of failing Goodman gray flex duct in a hot attic.
• Carson, Dunlop & Associates Ltd., 120 Carlton Street Suite 407, Toronto ON M5A 4K2. (416) 964-9415 1-800-268-7070 info@carsondunlop.com. The firm provides professional home inspection services & home inspection education & publications. Alan Carson is a past president of ASHI, the American Society of Home Inspectors. Thanks to Alan Carson and Bob Dunlop, for permission for InspectAPedia to use text excerpts from The Home Reference Book & illustrations from The Illustrated Home. Carson Dunlop Associates' provides:
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• Engineering toolbox properties of water - http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/water-thermal-properties-d_162.html and email: editor.engineeringtoolbox@gmail.com web search 09/16/2010
• Thanks to Scott at SJM Inspect for suggesting this EPA document and for technical editing remarks regarding our air conditioning website, SJM Inspection Service LLC, serves the entire state of CT, sjminspect.com 203-543-0447 or 203-877-4774 5/16/07
• Reference: Modern Refrigeration and Air Conditioning, A. D. Althouse, C.H. Turnquist, A. Bracciano, Goodheart-Willcox Co., 1982
• Reference: Principles of Refrigeration, R. Warren Marsh, C. Thomas Olivo, Delmar Publishers, 1979
• "Air Conditioning & Refrigeration I & II", BOCES Education, Warren Hilliard (instructor), Poughkeepsie, New York, May - July 1982, [classroom notes from air conditioning and refrigeration maintenance and repair course attended by the website author
• Mold in the air handler or duct work is discussed at AIR HANDLER / BLOWER UNITS chapter
  HOW TO PREVENT MOLD: Correct the Causes of Mold and Prevent Indoor Mold or other indoor environment problems
• OPTIMUM INDOOR AIR QUALITY - Air Filter Choices & Placement for Optimum Indoor Air Quality
• Thanks to Chris Van Rite, Vice President Sales, M&M Manufacturing Company, 4001 Mark IV Parkway Fort Worth, TX 76106, Office (817) 348-2241 Cell   (817) 825-2363 - cvr@mmmfg.com - Mr. Van rite provided the HVAC & Duct System references listed just below 2/9/2009
• Consortium for Energy Efficiency (CEE) - http://www.cee1.org/resid/rs-ac/hvac_press_kit.pdf
• Air Diffusion Council (ADC) - http://www.flexibleduct.org/
• Static Pressure Losses in 6, 8, and 10-inch Non-Metallic Flexible Ducts, Weaver, K.; Culp, C.
  Texas A&M University Energy Systems Laboratory http://txspace.tamu.edu/handle/1969.1/5275
• A Study of Pressure Losses in Residential Air Distribution Systems, Bass Abushakra, Iain S. Walker, Max H. Sherman, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory - http://eetd.lbl.gov/ie/pdf/LBNL-49700.pdf
• ENERGY STAR® Homes Technical Standards - http://www.energystarhomes.com/documents/tech_standards.pdf
• ASHRAE Advanced Energy Design Guide for “Small Office buildings”, “Retail buildings” & “K-12 School buildings” available currently as a free download from ASHRAE Publications Store http://www.ashrae.org/publications/page/1604 (do not copy this PDF to networks)
• Modern Refrigeration and Air Conditioning, A. D. Althouse, C.H. Turnquist, A. Bracciano, Goodheart-Willcox Co., 1982
• Principles of Refrigeration, R. Warren Marsh, C. Thomas Olivo, Delmar Publishers, 1979
• "Air Conditioning & Refrigeration I & II", BOCES Education, Warren Hilliard (instructor), Poughkeepsie, New York, May - July 1982, [classroom notes from air conditioning and refrigeration maintenance and repair course attended by the website author]
• Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Technology, 5th Ed., William C. Whitman, William M. Johnson, John Tomczyk, Cengage Learning, 2005, ISBN 1401837654, 9781401837655 1324 pages
• Air Conditioning SEER - New DOE Air Conditioner and Heat Pump Efficiency Standard
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Books & Articles on Building & Environmental Inspection, Testing, Diagnosis, & Repair

• Our recommended books about building & mechanical systems design, inspection, problem diagnosis, and repair, and about indoor environment and IAQ testing, diagnosis, and cleanup are at the InspectAPedia Bookstore. Also see our Book Reviews - InspectAPedia.

The Home Reference Book - the Encyclopedia of Homes, Carson Dunlop & Associates, Toronto, Ontario, 25th Ed., 2012, is a bound volume of more than 450 illustrated pages that assist home inspectors and home owners in the inspection and detection of problems on buildings. The text is intended as a reference guide to help building owners operate and maintain their home effectively. Field inspection worksheets are included at the back of the volume. Special Offer: For a 10% discount on any number of copies of the Home Reference Book purchased as a single order. Enter INSPECTAHRB in the order payment page "Promo/Redemption" space. InspectAPedia.com editor Daniel Friedman is a contributing author. Or choose the The Home Reference eBook for PCs, Macs, Kindle, iPad, iPhone, or Android Smart Phones. Special Offer: For a 5% discount on any number of copies of the Home Reference eBook purchased as a single order. Enter INSPECTAEHRB in the order payment page "Promo/Redemption" space.

Building inspection education & report writing systems from Carson, Dunlop & Associates Ltd

• Complete List of Air Conditioning & Heat Pump Design, Inspection, Repair Books at the InspectAPedia Bookstore.
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