How to Move HVAC Duct in Wall

redcornergarden

Hello. I am new to this site. We are in the design phase of a kitchen remodel. There is a HVAC duct in the wall that is shared by our kitchen and dining room. It does not serve the kitchen or dining room (both on main floor), but is a duct that has been run through the wall to serve a bedroom on the second floor.

Here's the dilemma and question: The door to the dining room from the kitchen is installed 6" to the side of the duct. We want to move the doorway to accomodate our new kitchen design. There are two options for doing so, but both will result in the HVAC duct running through some portion of the door opening. My husband is convinced that there is no way to move this vent. Isn't there some way we could install an elbow or angle type duct in the wall below this, reroute the vent around the new door location, and another above the door to connect with the original duct proceeding to the second floor? Will it be extremely expensive? I know it will take removing the ceiling and a wall in a portion of our finished basement to do so, but feel there must be some way to accomplish this move, as I know that water and electrical lines are moved all the time.

We have not contacted an architect or contractor as of yet as I am in the process of coming up with a design that my husband and I can both agree with, and this vent placement has become a huge stumbling block.

Thank you for any input to this!

Beepster

I think this may take some pictures at the very minimum to assess the situation.

If you are resigned to tearing out a bunch of walls and ceilings, why not just move the whole duct to either side of the new doorway? Can it be moved in the bedroom? Is there a closet/pantry in the kitchen you can run it through?

To do the elbows as you mention, you would have to go "through" the 2x4s supporting the wall.

B

Dog5

It is not realistic to make the transitions in the wall on the main floor, they will need to take place in the joist cavities or just under the joists at both the basement ceiling and main floor ceiling. How difficult this is (and whether it will require a bulkhead) depends on the specifics of your house.

How old is the house? Is the register in the bedroom in the floor or on the wall? Have you opened up the wall yet?

REP

In most cases it can be done,but without pictures of what is there now and where the new door will be its impossible to tell you how.

Gary in WA

redcornergarden, please post same exact question in only this forum, otherwise it is confusing. Members will read your question and answers here, the best place for it. Thank you, Gary

P.S.- how about some pictures to help others answer: pick from the first five: http://www.diychatroom.com/f98/

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Dog5

Yet another post-and-run. I remember now why I stopped posting answers to specialized web forums about ten years ago.