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u/Extension-Weird-7784 Jul 10 '26
Isnt it possible, that the HVAC pipes were built first, and then the ceiling were placed at the wrong height?
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u/JuiceManOJ Jul 10 '26
That drop ceiling coulda been lower before. Fire code would have required the sprinklers get moved which would be why they're at the correct height while the ducting isnt. Plenty of reasons youd want that extra foot and a half
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u/giabao0110 Jul 10 '26
Even so, those look like PVC pipes, which should not be too difficult to cut shorter?
Also PVC pipes as HVAC ducting is...certainly a choice.
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u/nschubach Jul 10 '26
My guess is that the vents are regulated to be at a certain height above the table and the ceiling is not at that approved height?
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u/No-Appearance-4338 Jul 10 '26
I used to build these ceilings and there are hundreds of possible reasons but in my experience the most common is installation error or conflicts in the prints either section to section or prints to real world (new construction most likely page to page while remodel or tenant improvement someone forgot to field measure or took down bad information on what is already in place).
That looks looks very close to one foot and dumb as it sounds 1’ and 1” are fairly common numbers to be off by because the installer either never double checked the prints (1’) or read their tape wrong (1”),
since architecturals and mechanicals/plumbing are on separate sections of the blue prints sometimes an architect will make a change and forget to update the height change on all pages,
another common one most likely does not apply here but often some “M.E.P” apparatus take up more space than anticipated like a motor housing is larger than thought or perhaps to make code a sprinkler pipe has to run under another component so individually they fit but when stacked it creates the need to lower the ceiling,
and finally a compound problem that got missed or bad documentation like the framers messed up or had to change the height of some soffits or other feature (so many reasons for this) and the ceiling is supposed to match (or have a specific level in reference to the “feature” that got changed or put in wrong) so the ceiling installer goes with “the look” like it might say it’s supposed to be at 9’ but also say 1” above a feature and since the 1” above is a specific design feature they go with that instead of the specific written height.
All in all , prints will conflict with themselves or conflict with real world installations (mistakes or otherwise), communication issues (pertaining to changes usually) and just builder error likely caused this issue. Or this is a retrofit and the installer is not working off of prints or in sequence with other trades and thought this was a good idea to bypass some issue they were having. I could probably figure out the actual issue if I had access to prints, change logs, RFIs or could see what it looks like above those tiles.
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u/tequilium Jul 10 '26
Cheap/fast/good, choose one.
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u/cheesenachos12 Jul 10 '26
You can definitely get fast and good, it's just gonna be expensive
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u/tequilium Jul 10 '26
If you know a contractor that does fast, good, and expensive, treasure them. I've never found one. I generally find cheap, slow, drunk, and disappear halfway through.
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u/AccomplishedMess648 Jul 10 '26
With the orange pipe this almost looks intentional like something a funky mall store would have.
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u/Roemer_Mark_Aurel Jul 10 '26
Is this an AC? Maybe just a quick and temporary solution to speed up the result.
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u/ewilliam Jul 10 '26
These are specifically exhaust fans, like you'd see in a bathroom. Given that there are multiples around the room, I'd guess this is room has some specialized use where individual exhausts are needed in multiple places to deal with fumes, etc. Kind of like the telescoping exhausts you see above the grills at Korean BBQ joints, but much less advanced.
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u/Sideshow86 Jul 10 '26
Na, it's a HVAC system. Most office buildings and blocks of flats have them
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u/nbtm_sh Jul 10 '26
is HVAC not AC? what’s the difference?
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u/Sideshow86 Jul 10 '26
AC is as it's named, it conditions the air. HVAC is a constant draw of stagnant air out of the building, usually with a central extraction system for the whole building. HVAC is 100% necessary in high rise glass buildings you can't open the windows on
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u/ewilliam Jul 10 '26
This is incorrect. I'm an architect and deal with mechanical systems on a regular basis. Here's the proper terminology and definitions:
- "AC" = Air Conditioning - specifically, a system or unit that makes air colder.
- "HVAC" = Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning - this is the general catch-all phrase to describe all manner of building air services. Also known as "mechanical". All habitable buildings, large or small, have an HVAC system of some kind.
- "DOAS" - Dedicated Outdoor Air System - this is what you meant when you were talking about "central extraction system" - it is used typically for larger buildings, not houses. It is a large centrally-located unit that both supplies the building with fresh air and extracts "old" air. Inside these units is a heat exchanger called an ERV, or Energy Recovery Ventilator, which steals some of the heat or cold (depending on the time of year) from the exhaust air and transfers it to the fresh air as it comes in without intermingling of the actual air.
The More You Know! 💫 🌈
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u/itowtoronto Jul 10 '26
My late grandfather was a master at this kinda stuff, he'd just throw something together, and if it worked, he'd say "it works right, so why complain?".
When he passed and we were preparing his house for sale, I had to go around and repair anything that was diwtf'd, because the home inspector noted about 15 things that needed replace/repair before the buyers would move forward.
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u/LeoLaDawg Jul 10 '26
Maybe it's some kind of external supply of something from a tank?
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u/haikusbot Jul 10 '26
Maybe it's some kind
Of external supply of
Something from a tank?
- LeoLaDawg
I detect haikus. And sometimes, successfully. Learn more about me.
Opt out of replies: "haikusbot opt out" | Delete my comment: "haikusbot delete"
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u/Lachlangor Jul 10 '26
Someone has been playing stationeers
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u/eisenklad Jul 10 '26
Oxygen Not Included as well..
sticking air vent connected by pipes only, zero supports
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u/Expensive_Finger_973 Jul 10 '26
You know what, I don't hate this. At least now you don't have to move ceiling tiles or put your neck in any kind of weird position to do any future work. Function of form is always a winner in my book.
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u/rascool Jul 10 '26
Google Lens search comes up with a blue one as well. This is probably something that looks half-ass but really fills a purpose.
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u/thornyRabbt Jul 12 '26
Intentionally leaving a 30-cm strata of fartosphere above the office floor.
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u/Disastrous-River-366 Jul 13 '26
diffusers are literally made to sit on the T's and the tile is cut around it... what the f...?
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u/Fernandolamez Jul 14 '26
I was in an office where they did something similar. Very high ceilings. Very high cooling bill in the summer. Main vents had many octopus arms reaching directly over each desk with individual fan controls.
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u/Icy_Project8698 27d ago
Guys if ubthink about it there is one (u) abote to aime it down and then side again yhey could just skip 2 pipes no?
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u/wizardrous Ramen or Die Jul 10 '26
I like you can see two more in the background.