We're getting proposals to add central air conditioning to our house. We currently have no ductwork so adding ducts and vents is part of the project. One possible duct location is on the ceiling over these kitchen cabinets, roughly where the star is:
This is a convenient location for a vent, because it's easy to reach from upstairs (the air handler will be in the attic). It seems like a good location for cooling the kitchen. There is a 6 1/4" gap between the top of the cabinet frame and the ceiling.
Is this an OK place to put a vent? One contractor said that placing a vent close to the cabinets will ruin the cabinets, so we'd want to run it elsewhere. Another said that the cool dry air will just flow over the cabinet and would not damage it at all. I don't see how cool dry air would damage a cabinet; am I missing something? Are there other reasons this is a good or bad idea?
Best Answer
Sorry I don't have enough points to comment yet so have to put this reply in the answer.
I had a vent coming out under the cabinets in the kitchen of my house for 20 years with NO PROBLEM (i.e. at the floor level where the kick-plate is). This wasn't even ductwork under the cabinet, but rather the vent exhausted into the frame under the cabinets, which then vented out the kick-plate.
My system would push out gas fired hot air in winter, and integrated AC in summer. He had a HRV.
No splitting in the cabinets, no peeling of the veneer, no warping of the frames.
I'd say go for it.