Ductwork design-anybody ever use these guys?

[Badfish740]

I ran across this company recently. Basically, they have all of the expensive software that HVAC designers use to size delivery and return lines, make sure the system is balanced, etc... You give them your parameters and they spec out your system for you for $200. I need to rework my ductwork for an addition, and to be honest, it never really worked that well to begin with anyway. Since I have a simple one story ranch the work is easy, I just have no way of knowing how to calculate sizes, so I'm thinking of using them for design services and installing the system myself. Just curious if anyone here has ever used them?

http://www.perfect-home-hvac-design.com/

 

[hobbyheater]

Is the furnace in the crawl space or is it a counter-flow unit on the living area floor ?
Do you have one or several sheet metal shops in your area? If so.
Take pictures of your existing duct work, measurements of size length and of runs and size of each and placement of differing duct size length and size.
The size of your furnace and blower. Pictures of plenum adapters - hot and cold air returns and approximate sizes of each.
Do a sketch of the complete duct work layout with sizing and show where you want to locate the addition that you are building.
Take this complete information to one or several sheet metal shops and listen to what each suggest. If they want your business, they should tell you what is needed. Duct work is not rocket science. If the duct-work to the addition is over sized, a manual flow regulator can be built into the duct. The shop should also be able to tell you how to take the proper measurements for the new duct work.

https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/grannys-splitter-wood-pile.78935/

 

[Frozen Canuck]

We have never used the firm Badfish, however it is/was only a matter of time until someone took this service to the internet. For the price I can't see how you can lose to be honest. When complete you will have far more info about proper duct size, blower speeds & equipment heating & cooling than the average DIYer. All of which of course will be as accurate as the data you provide, so don't fudge your numbers like saying your walls are R20 when they are R12, or your attic is R40 when it's really R20 & on & on, windows, doors etc, etc. Even if you do nothing with this other than to be better informed when discussing this project with a contractor, well worth it. I wish more folks took the time to educate themselves prior to spending their cash. Educated customers are usually happy customers as they largely know what they want before they begin.

 

[Badfish740]

We have never used the firm Badfish, however it is/was only a matter of time until someone took this service to the internet. For the price I can't see how you can lose to be honest. When complete you will have far more info about proper duct size, blower speeds & equipment heating & cooling than the average DIYer. All of which of course will be as accurate as the data you provide, so don't fudge your numbers like saying your walls are R20 when they are R12, or your attic is R40 when it's really R20 & on & on, windows, doors etc, etc. Even if you do nothing with this other than to be better informed when discussing this project with a contractor, well worth it. I wish more folks took the time to educate themselves prior to spending their cash. Educated customers are usually happy customers as they largely know what they want before they begin.

In terms of price that's what I thought as well. For $200 I get a complete map of how to put the system together, then it's just a matter of buying parts and assembling them. I got what hobbyheater was saying, but I don't know of any good shops off the top of my head, but my issue is that the ductwork had been fudged in the past and as a result is performing crappily in the existing house, so once the addition is built, I just want to scrap the whole system and start fresh. We really wanted hydronic, but it's just not in the cards. Converting (I was planning on a Biomass Wood/Oil Combo gasser) to hydronics with storage would have added an easy $10K to the project. Redoing the ductwork myself with mostly off the shelf parts and the $200 plans will cost about a quarter of that. We do plan to add a steam humidifier at the time too which will add a bit to the price.

 

[hobbyheater]

Document your project with lots of pictures and do a thread when you are finished. Lots of plumbing done on here but little duct work . This type of information can be useful to somebody just like yourself taking on a project like this .