When designing the layout for the River House, I provisioned for a vertical chase behind the stairwell to accommodate the various mechanical systems of the house. It goes from the basement all the way to the roof line. At the time, I thought I had provided a generous amount of space. Now I am thankful that everything is just fitting (barely). The chase is occupied by the following items:
- 8″ round intake duct (ventilation system)
- 8″ round exhaust duct (ventilation system)
- 4″ radon vent
- 12″ x 8″ second floor heating/cooling supply duct
- 12″ x 8″ second floor return duct
- 10″ x 8″ first floor heating/cooling supply duct
- Eight 3″ round fresh air supply ducts
- Eight 3″ round stale air exhaust ducts
Key to fully utilizing the space has been the interactive staging of work. Today, I installed eight fresh air ducts (white tubes). Next, the HVAC contractor will complete the horizontal section of the supply duct. Then, I will run additional round ducts in the 2×4 bay on the near side. Any other order of work would preclude this degree of packing density.