HVAC guys need a quick opinion please

[mikepags]

Thanks guys for the help here is my problem

I have a commercial tenant who handled the build out of his space with his own contractor and is responsible for it. He complained about a roof leak that it was damaging a ceiling tile causing it to break and he had to keep replacing it. When I took a look I realized it wasn’t a roof leak but condensation from the air duct that is going through the middle of the tile. There is a standard 7x12 or what ever size grill that is screwed into the tile itself not the boot. Is that even legal? To top it off the duct is not properly supported and all its weight was being supported by the ceiling tile that has a big square cut in it. The tenant now has the boot resting on wooden 1x4’s that are sitting of the drop ceiling grid so there is a gap of 2 or 3 inches from the bottom of the boot to the tile. Clearly a few things are wrong here but my main question is can you even use a grill like that or does and grill need to be a specific one for drop ceilings. I am going to go look at the rest of the my spaces in a few minutes to see but I 90% they all have the standard 24 inchx24 inch grills you see in commercial spaces

[dezlfit73]

Your answer is no,the grill should not be screwed to a suspended ceiling tile,it should be a diffusier made for the grid size,you also mentioned condensation,if this is from the outside of the duct you have to insulate the duct exposed to un- air conditioned spaces,it's like a warm room with a glass of cold iced tea sitting there,
the water in the air condenses on the cold ductwork.
Hope that helps Dan...

[mikepags]

[quote=dezlfit73]Your answer is no,the grill should not be screwed to a suspended ceiling tile


thank you, thats kind of what I was thinking, you don't happen to know where in the HVAC code I should to find that, He is going to be pissed when I tell him his contractor did it wrong and needs to make it right

I think the duct is insulated but with a 2-3 inch gap from the boot to the grill that enough cold air was mixing with the ceiling space and causing it to form a the grill and then move to the ceiling tile

[electric fish]

Yes, you need to support the duct work off the grid and use the proper grid designed diffuser. You are also going to see your grid work beggining to rust.

[ol man river]

mike, tell the tennant that you are going to thave the work inspected by the city inspectors once he has it fixed......it wont pass, id bet on it....he cant install anything thats not to code, period.....what if he screws up the wiring and burns the building down ? Cover your AZZ, my friend....btw, if thats a return air ceiling, those wood 1x4's arent code.....

[mikepags]

Oh I know but this was done a couple of years ago before I moved out here.......I am going to tell him I just expect him to spend 30 mins crying/bitching that how was he suppose to know and the whole world is out to get him it gets old having to listen to it.....but I need to keep the peace as he is a bigger tenant and I am in the process of trying to get him to exercise his 2 year option now 18 months or so early so I know I have some stability myself and I know he isn't going anywhere till 2015

[dezlfit73]

don't know about finding code books in your area ,in mine you have to be a licensed
contractor or approach the local hvac association ,or call the county and ask