Maggie Pate on thu 23 oct 08
Just got my spiffy new orton kiln vent in time for the cold weather. Due to the location of my kiln, the easiest is to run the ducting for the vent up the wall and across the ceiling of my basement, in the opposite direction of the way the overhead joists in the basement run.
I've just got the dinky flexible metal clothes dryer ducting, since Orton said that was fine in the installation manual, but now I'm wondering how I should sling it from the ceiling without tearing it, since it seems so fragile. Has anyone else had to do this? Can I use plumber's tape or metal tape to cradle the duct and then tack the ends up to the joists? Any reason it can't touch other existing ducting for the heating system in the house? Could I tape it directly to the heating ducting to help hold it up?
Any thoughts would be appreciated, on or off list. I looked around online, but all I could find were diagrams of people using the stuff for dryers located against exterior walls, so they just had to run vertically and then out.
-Maggie Furtak
pateceramics@yahoo.com
www.pateceramics.etsy.com
David Martin Hershey on fri 24 oct 08
Hi Maggie,
If it was me, I wouldn't use the flex duct for a long exposed run like
that. It's too fragile, and the ridging that allows it to flex will
create a lot of resistance to proper air movement and catch condensed
moisture.
4 inch sheet metal ducting is relatively cheap, and easy to install.
Kind of like tinker-toys. Everything slides and snaps together. If you
don't feel up to doing the job, anyone you know with a few mechanical
skills could do it for you.
You can get the materials at your local Home Depot type place. The duct
comes flat, and you can cut it to length with sheers or tin snips, and
snap it together. (careful!!! it can be very sharp, wear your gloves)
You probably will only have to make 1 or 2 cuts.
The fittings are adjustable for any degree of curve. The only other
thing you need is the hanger brackets to mount to your ceiling joists
(about 1 every 4 feet or so), and a dryer termination through-the-wall
type damper fitting to keep the cold air out.
Install the ducting with a slight slope downhill towards the outside
wall, so any condensation will run outside, not back to your kiln. The
duct seams should be on the top, and you should use the metal tape on
all the joints. You can also put 3 short self drilling screws in each
connection before taping, to really stiffen everything up.
Let me know if you need it, and I'll post a few pics of how I did mine.
Best, DMH
David Martin Hershey
DMH Studio + Design
2629 Manhattan Ave #137
Hermosa Beach CA USA
90254-2447 310.379.6890
http://www.dmhstudio.com/
Maggie Pate wrote:
> Just got my spiffy new orton kiln vent in time for the cold weather. Due to the location of my kiln, the easiest is to run the ducting for the vent up the wall and across the ceiling of my basement, in the opposite direction of the way the overhead joists in the basement run.
>
> Any thoughts would be appreciated, on or off list. I looked around online, but all I could find were diagrams of people using the stuff for dryers located against exterior walls, so they just had to run vertically and then out.
>
>
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