[iyiyi]

We live in an apartment complex. Been here a few months. Noticed that there was no air coming out of the vent in our living room ceiling. It looks like the duct inside is closed over. All of the other ones in the apartment are wide open. There is a tiny amount of air coming out of this one.

Attached are some photos. I cannot figure out what I need to do. Based on these photos does anyone know how I would open this vent? (this is what it looks like under the grill)

What happens if I leave it like this?
Maintenance are not performing anything at our apartments unless it is major repairs due to coronavirus until at least May/June

Thanks!

 

[pecmsg]

That's a Fire Damper that the fusible link failed. Needs a new fusible link.

 

[iyiyi]

That's a Fire Damper that the fusible link failed. Needs a new fusible link.

Thank you. Is that something I can easily fix on my own? If not, what happens if I leave this as-is for potentially 1-2 months until they are doing routine maintenance again?

Is it safe to try and prop it up with something to allow more airflow?

 

[pecmsg]

In most jurisdictions Fire and Life support equipment are regularly regulated.

Ask the building maintenance what they recommend.

 

[iyiyi]

In most jurisdictions Fire and Life support equipment are regularly regulated.

Ask the building maintenance what they recommend.

The maintenance people here are completely incompetent. Last time we had an hvac issue they spent twenty minutes taking apart the bathroom fan before they realized it wasn't the air duct.

Additionally, they are not doing or responding to any non-emergency maintenance items during this lockdown (which where I live is potentially months). That's why I was asking here, to see what the best/safest thing to do was.

Is it going to seriously harm the system if that vent is close like that? If so, is it safe to try to prop it open with something?

 

[pecmsg]

Don't know what type system you have.

Fire and Life Support Systems We cant comment on

 

[iyiyi]

Don't know what type system you have.

Fire and Life Support Systems We cant comment on

Sorry, what do you mean you can't comment on it? Isn't this part of my HVAC system or no?

Could you at least comment if having one vent in the apartment closed off like that is harmful to the whole HVAC system?

Thanks for the input

 

[pecmsg]

That’s a life safety device. Only qualafied personal can touch it.

As far as your system, I can’t see it so again can’t comment.

 

[iyiyi]

That’s a life safety device. Only qualafied personal can touch it.

As far as your system, I can’t see it so again can’t comment.

Thanks again. Considering we are in very unprecedented times and there is a pandemic causing all non-critical maintenance work here to stop I was hoping I could just get some general advice since that's all I can do right now.

What info on my system would you need? Just asking in general if a vent is blocked does that cause hard to a typical hvac system?

Attached is a photo of my utility room if that helps. Not sure how else to answer that question.

 

[pecmsg]

HVAC is considered Critical Work

 

[iyiyi]

HVAC is considered Critical Work

Not in North Carolina. We have it in writing that they will only enter our apartment if entire systems are not working (ie, the HVAC system does not work at all)
Seeing the photo of the handler, do you think having one of the vents closed poses a problem?