my house has central ac and it works well...but after setting up my room i noticed while in my attic that there is a huge gaping crack in my ac duct...big enough to keep the attic cool during these hot days....so i tried taping it with that crazy silver tape for insulation and stuff but the cold air and pressure of the air just didnt allow a solid stick and the hole remains so i propped it up and kind of bent the duct in my attic so that the crack was pinched shut...my problem here is that i think this is the reason for my high power bill....

any ac experts out there what do i need to know to fix some ac duct work and re seal it and get it functioning eficiently....i cant exactly hire an ac repair man to go in my attic and figure it out cuz my attic is full of "things"...such as ballasts and fans and other things....

any help would be great even just a list of supplies that i would need to fix an ac

thanks everyone

I'd try a can of that "expanding foam".

i did and it doesnt work but thank you for the input....

i really need to hire an ac repair type guy but i cant let anyone into my attic space for obvious reasons....

does anyone here know one that they could ask???

any help ???

please

...Go to lowes or home depot. Your looking for kool seal. It's a blue and white gal can. you also want the blue mesh screen on a roll. It's like the new drywall tape. Don't forget the throw away brush you will need. It's pretty easy and self explanatory. GL...Now if only I can figure out how to post a freakin picture!!!

another option is to patch it with tin.
If your crack(heehee) is about 1" by 6" use a 3x8 piece of tin some acrlic caulking and selftapping 1/4" screws and whala! If you want to make it look professionial go to someplace that bends tin ie roofers and have them bend 1/4" edge at 5-15 degrees and punch some holes in the corners and along the side and dont forget the caulking.

ahh thank you both that was exactly what i needed to know i will make the trip and patch it up and my electric bill will hopefully drop way down ...thanks a ton

Use AC duct mastic. Dont use anything else if your ducts are also used for heating. The heat will cause fumes if you use anything else not designed for heat applications. Even with patching with any metal as suggested, you still need to seal with the mastic for best results. Metal foil tape should only be used with straight AC systems, and is not first choice to deal with typical duct pressures. To repair, first turn off your system, wipe down the area to be repaired with alcohol, apply a thin layer of mastic, then apply re-enforcing tape over the first layer of mastic (also sold at same place the mastic is purchased at). Then apply more mastic over the entire area, ensuring a good overlap to prevent future duct ruptures. Allow the mastic to cure for at least 48 hours before turning on your AC/heat system. If you cannot buy mastic at your local hardware store, go to one of the commercial supply companies. Tell em you have rental properties, and they will usually sell it to you. This is a permanent/safe fix that anyone can do.

Peace and good luck!

prop