Keeping cool without the ductwork hassle

those walls are like history books, you know?

Right? I swear every time I drill into mine, I half expect to find a telegram or something. I did the same with my mini-split - measured three times, drilled once, then sealed everything like I was prepping for a flood. My wallet definitely prefers patching old plaster over replacing it, that’s for sure. If anyone’s on the fence, painter’s tape around the hole before you cut helps keep the edges from crumbling too. Learned that the hard way...

measured three times, drilled once, then sealed everything like I was prepping for a flood

That’s pretty much my process too - old plaster’s unpredictable. I’ve actually found old nails and even a bit of newspaper stuffed in one wall. Painter’s tape is a good tip, but if you ever hit lath that just crumbles anyway, I’ve had luck with a thin layer of joint compound before patching. Keeps things smoother in the end.

Old plaster walls are like a box of chocolates - never know what you’re gonna get. I swear, every time I open one up, it’s like a time capsule from the last century. Found a rusty key once, and for a second thought I’d stumbled onto some hidden treasure... turned out to be for an old padlock in the basement.

You’re spot on about the joint compound trick. I’ve tried mesh tape too, but sometimes it just makes the mess bigger if the lath is already crumbling. Honestly, half the battle is just keeping your cool when the wall starts falling apart around your drill bit. But hey, if you can patch up old plaster without losing your mind (or your patience), you’re already ahead of the game.

Painter’s tape is great until you forget to pull it off and it becomes part of the wall forever. Ask me how I know... Anyway, keep at it - the more unpredictable the wall, the better the story later.

Keeping Cool Without The Ductwork Hassle

Haha, the painter’s tape thing gets me every time - once left a strip behind a radiator and now it’s basically part of the house. Plaster walls are wild, though. I once tried to hang a gallery wall in a 1920s apartment and every nail felt like a gamble. Ended up using those picture rail hooks instead, which saved my sanity (and the walls). When it comes to cooling, I’ve seen folks swear by those mini-split units - no ductwork, just a couple of small holes. Not the prettiest, but honestly, way less drama than trying to snake anything through those old walls.

When it comes to cooling, I’ve seen folks swear by those mini-split units - no ductwork, just a couple of small holes. Not the prettiest, but honestly, way less drama than trying to snake anything through those old walls.

Mini-splits are like the duct tape of the HVAC world - maybe not beautiful, but they get the job done and save you from a world of pain. I’ve been eyeing them for my place too, mostly because the idea of tearing up 100-year-old plaster just to run some ducts makes me break out in a cold sweat (which is ironic, considering the topic). But yeah, they’re not exactly subtle. My friend has one and it kind of looks like a robot head staring down at you from the wall.

I’m curious though - has anyone actually tried one of those portable AC units with the hose out the window? I keep seeing them pop up on Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace. They seem less invasive than even a mini-split, but I’m skeptical about how well they work. Plus, my windows are those weird old double-hung ones that don’t really seal right anymore. Not sure if I’d just be blasting cool air straight into the street.

Also, picture rail hooks are genius. I wish someone had told me about those before I turned my living room into Swiss cheese. The number of times I’ve hit lath instead of plaster and ended up with a crater instead of a nail hole... yikes.

Anyone ever try one of those window fans that supposedly reverse direction to suck hot air out? Or is that just another thing that sounds better in theory than in practice?