Is it possible to share some details of how you're rerouting the floor vent through a cage platform? I was expecting to have to do that soon myself, so a reference would be really appreciated...
Yeah, totally! Sorry I took so long to respond. I wanted to get photos of the process and it's been slow-going with all the other things needing my attention.
You can buy a product kit called a toeductor that is specifically designed to route a floor vent through the toe kick under a cabinet. All you need is a jigsaw to cut an appropriate shape hole in your cabinet toe kick. This is best for a low-profile solution.
I, however, wanted a maximalist approach so I did it a little differently. Also I don't have a jigsaw. Also I'm not an HVAC professional so I might have donked this up. Maybe have a professional do your stuff instead of flirting with disaster like I do.
Process and pictures under the cut!
Supplies:
Foil tape for ducting
Duct clamp (optional)
Decorative register that fits on your platform (I went with a 4"x8" rectangle)
Magnetic register screen (optional)
6" flexible duct (I needed about 12" length, your mileage may vary)
Universal register box with flange, 6" duct opening and whatever size your decorative register is (mine is 4"x8" to 6")
Universal register box without flange, 6" duct opening and whatever size your existing floor register is (mine is 4"x10")
Drill and drill bit to make holes
Tool to cut the hole for your register
File to smooth the edges of your register hole
Scraper, if needed
Goof-Off or Goo Gone or whatever cleaner you have that takes off adhesive residue, if needed
Vacuum with hose, if needed
First pop off your old floor register. It should just pull right up. Look down in the floor hole and try to remember the last time you vacuumed in there. Find yourself unable to recall. Feel ashamed. If it's a new house for you, wonder if the previous tenant ever vacuumed in there and decide privately to yourself that they probably didn't. Get the shop vac and really get down in there, knowing realistically that this may be the last time you ever do so.
Assess the existing foil duct tape inside the register. Is it gross and crumpled into sticky wads, or is the seal still good? If needed, scrape off the old tape, clean off any residue, and re-tape any seams with the foil tape to make sure there are no air leaks. Leaky HVAC lines mean you're losing heating/cooling to the crawlspace under your house and that's $$$ literally going into the dirt.
Once your existing floor hole looks good, fit the un-flanged universal box over the existing register box and tape them together inside and out with the foil tape. Be careful, register boxes have sharp edges! Make sure there are no cracks or unsealed seams. I forgot to take pictures of this part. Sorry.
Fit the end of the ducting over the end of the register box. Again, tape around the outside and tape inside for a firm seal.
Now use the flanged universal box to determine where on your platform you'll be re-routing the vent. I'm doing mine in a door for ease of access, but it's personal preference. Place yours wherever works for you, so long as the duct isn't being obstructed and you have good air flow. Use a marker to trace where the hole for the outgoing vent will be. I'm using a PVC platform so I drilled holes along the line I traced and then cut between them with a hand saw. If you have a jigsaw, please use that instead. Clean up the edges with a file or sandpaper as needed.
Attach the flanged universal box to the inside of the hole you made. Use small screws or tacks or 100% silicone sealant to adhere the box to the inside of the cabinet. Seal up any seams with tape to prevent air leaks. You may at this point choose to use a duct clamp instead of foil tape, so that you can more easily access the inside of the duct if you find yourself needing to adhere the register to the box. Attach the other end of the 6" duct to the flanged universal box and tape or clamp it in place.
If you're using a screen like I am to prevent unauthorized snake walkabouts that detour into the HVAC system, pop your decorative register apart and sandwich the screen inside. I had to snip the edges of the screen to make it fit the clips that hold the register together. Do what you gotta.
The decorative register should slot right into the universal register box. If you don't seal it in place, you can pull it out at any time. I did find that the register is a bit heavy, as it is intended for use on the floor, and it fell out of its vertical mount easily. I opted to silicone it in place and use a duct clamp on the ducting and register box as described above.
My register looks slightly crooked in this photo, but in reality it's only because the hole itself is actually slightly crooked. Big sigh.
And we're done! Survey your work, knowing that some HVAC professional somewhere is looking at this post online and slowly shaking their head in horror at the atrocities we have committed.
I FINALLY have my snake room organized at my new house! It feels really good to be able to stretch out - things were getting a little chaotic back at my former apartment, haha.
First rack is done! 106 qt tubs for my ball pythons - at least for now. The other rack in progress will be for some Antaresia pythons. I'm very happy with this build - $700 total including the Herpstat 2 and all of the tubs.
I realized I haven’t done a snake room pic in a couple years so this is the state of the snake station at current. AP T25s and T20 on the left, 4′ Pro-lines, JPMs, and APs on the right, flanked by JPM racks up front. I have two other AP racks and a Vision rack not pictured.
I’m hoping to do a few upgrades over the next couple of years. I’d really like to replace my other racks with JPM’s and swap out half of my 4′ cages with larger AP enclosures for the boas. I’ve found I don’t like the 4x2′ cage size for much more than grow-outs and small locality males, and even then I’d rather give the locality boys more space. I may re-purpose the old 4x2′s and attempt bioactive for smaller colubrids (milk snakes are still tempting me).
Figured I’d post some updated snake room photos! Of course, I have another round of AP cages processing, soooo this will be out of date again in a few weeks ;)
Bottom left photo is Vega’s viv (she loves that arboreal hide in the planter basket!), and the bottom right photo is how I like to set up my tubs.
