When it comes to duct repairs near underground gas lines or other hazardous materials sources in Florida, there are certain special considerations that must be taken into account. Type I exhaust systems must be independent of all other exhaust systems, except as specified. One reason to fill the entire duct is to prevent other areas of the cavity from absorbing radon from the ground below and leaking it into the house. The Transite pipe, which contains a significant percentage of asbestos fibers, was often used for heating ducts and sometimes for heating and cooling ducts in old buildings. Due to the inconvenience and cost of relocating these air ducts or changing them to an alternative method of distributing the heating, the owner may decide to keep the traffic ducts for the floor that are in the form of a slab.
It appears that some poured concrete has entered the duct and the inside of the duct is clogged by fragments of the duct. There is no need to install reinforcing bars or any other structural reinforcement in the openings of the ducts that form the slab before filling the ducts with concrete. For over 25 years, more or less, all of this has been behind vertical bars, where cold air return ducts were likely located; however, these ducts no longer exist. Transit pipes used as HVAC ducts or air ducts for heating and air conditioning were often installed buried in a concrete floor slab, methods that placed the asbestos-cement transit pipe below or inside the floor slab of a building. In a previous article, we discussed problems related to ducts found in floor slabs, including risks of air ducts collapsing, interfering with air flow through the system, water leaks into the slab duct system (not a problem unique to traffic ducts), and rodent or insect infestations or even mold contamination. It is not possible to see every inch of the duct this way and it is possible to miss collapses or other problems in the ducts inside the slab. It is easy to recognize that HVAC ducts inside a slab or below the floor were used or used in the design of an air duct system for heating or cooling a building, and it is not difficult to assess the condition of those ducts through a combination of visual inspection and observation of operational problems (lack of air flow) or environmental problems, such as odors. Dan has air returns from Sub Slab at his Tucson home (his delivery ducts are above the slab) that appear to be rectangular metal ducts.
The air quality risks associated with these types of systems include rodent infestations in the ducts, accumulation of dirt and debris that then return to the indoor air of the building or serve as a breeding ground for pathogens, danger of radon gas, and water leaks in the duct system which can lead to mold or bacteria growth or cause softening, collapse and clogging of traffic duct inside the slab. To repair sewer gas smell, drilling into the floor slab was necessary, removing and replacing leaking cast iron sewer pipe, and repairing floor. The air duct mud confirmed a history of flooding in buildings that caused flooding inside air conditioning duct system.When dealing with duct repairs near underground gas lines or hazardous materials sources in Florida, it is important to take into account all potential risks associated with such repairs. This includes risks related to air flow disruption due to collapsed or clogged traffic ducts inside slabs, water leaks leading to mold growth, radon gas leakage from underground sources, and rodent infestations.
It is also important to inspect all HVAC systems thoroughly before attempting any repairs. This includes visual inspection as well as observation of operational problems such as lack of air flow or environmental issues such as odors. Finally, it is important to use appropriate materials when repairing any damaged sections of traffic ducts. By taking all these special considerations into account when dealing with duct repairs, homeowners can ensure their safety while also ensuring their HVAC systems are functioning properly. This will help them avoid costly repairs down the line due to improper maintenance.
