i take it floors and ceilings have no room for ductwork, so you're going with that. how do people feel about mini-splits in your area?

Generally, if the insulation on the tubing looks "dirty" it is because the conditioned air is flowing out of the ductwork.2a.

The property has an accessible crawl-space that could accommodate the ductwork and it is a one-story building.

The house is small and according to the local inspector, there is nothing against code in doing this - just makes it less efficient - but some HVAC contractors I called would not put a new one in without also adding the new return air ductwork, which obviously increases the cost quite a bit.

Replacement is the issue.Additions Bedroom Bathroom Deck Garage Porch Patio Heating & Air Conditioning Heating system Central air conditioning Furnace Duct work Central humidifier Filtration system Lawn & Grounds Landscaping Driveway Walkway Fence Retaining wall Sprinkler system Swimming pool Miscellaneous Storm windows, doors New roof Central vacuum Wiring upgrades Satellite dish Security system Plumbing Septic system Water heater Soft water system Filtration system [b]Interior Improvements[/b] Built-in appliances Kitchen modernization Flooring Wall-to-wall carpeting Insulation Attic Walls Floors Pipes and duct workThis is not a finished list this is just an example.

Ductwork, unit, everything.Am I crazy or does that seem really low?

Ductwork?

Ethan, it might be worth it for you to look into putting a couple of dampers in your current ductwork, in essence making the upstairs a different zone than the downstairs.

Tape all the duct work joints, pull all the nails that you can.

No ductwork needed hangs on the wall and some can be disguised as wall art (they have a picture frame might be pricey for a rental though).If your in monmouth or ocean county NJ you can call Itak Heating and cooling for more info.