Gerdsen and Apollo had the task of installing the heating and cooling system at a historic dairy property. Three barns were put together to form a unique, 12,000-square-foot home. Apollo, which has been family owned and operated for the last three generations, turned to the Unico System, manufactured by Unico Inc., to supply the needed HVAC equipment.

"The system was chosen due to space constraints," explained Gerdsen. "Traditional ductwork for this process would have not been physically possible. Unico's advantage was that it took one-tenth of the space of a conventional system. This led to the best overall installation and finished product.

"By not choosing this mini-duct system on this project, there would have been numerous changes to the look and feel of this beautiful home." The project was described as challenging due mainly to the way the contractor had to stage the delivery of equipment, the overall man-hours it took to complete the system, and working with the general contractor and homeowner.

"We had multiple subs to contend with," said Gerdsen. "The coordination was more than we typically deal with. We found all of the subs, and the general contractors were easy to coordinate. However, the magnitude of the project was more interacted with the amount of the systems. "In addition, when changes did occur, we had to be able to react and coordinate those correctly."

THE BEST CHOICE

According to the Cincinnati-based contractor, the homeowner chose the property because of its unique architecture style, location, and overall beauty.

"I am not really sure why they decided to go the route they did, but the property is beautiful," said Gerdsen. "It is a historic dairy farm, with over five acres of land, including a 2,000-square-foot conservatory and guest home." Because the homeowner wanted to have exposed beams and trusts throughout the home, the Unico System was selected to fit the bill. The second floor, for example, has completely beamed ceilings. Gerdsen opted to install six mini-duct systems, creating six separate zones.

The Unico System is a high-velocity, mini-duct system that, according to the St. Louis-based manufacturer, has been installed in over 100,000 homes and businesses across the United States, in Canada, Europe, and the Caribbean. Simply, it fits where conventional systems can't. According to Unico, its system's modular air handlers and coils can be installed in ceilings, floors, crawl spaces, and closets. It said its flexible 2-inch supply tubing can be routed through ceilings, floors, and wall cavities.

"We find that there are specific applications for mini-ducts," said Gerdsen. "Typically, homes that are retrofitted - and without ductwork - are perfect candidates because mini-duct systems allow you to install without major changes to a home's structure, including soffits, drop ceilings, etc. "Also, you are able to get to the outside perimeter of the rooms to blanket the outside wall, preventing the hot humid summer air from getting in and the cold air in the winter. There is one centralized return per system, which makes it a lot easier in older homes."

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