A duct lift is a winch and mast on a wheeled base with a cradle that holds a section of ductwork while one person raises it and fixes it to the structure. Hire is roughly $45 to $95 a day. It is a two hundred pound machine that folds down into a van and replaces two workers standing on ladders holding a trunk overhead.
The cradle decides what it can carry
A V shaped cradle with straps holds round spiral duct and rectangular trunk without crushing it. A flat fork carriage takes VAV boxes, fan coils and small air handlers. Some lifts take both, most yards stock one head per machine, so describe the shape and weight of what you are lifting when you book it.
Match the reach to the deck, not the grid
Common models top out around sixteen to eighteen feet, with taller versions available. Measure to the structure the hangers land on, which is above the finished ceiling, and add the height of the section itself. A lift that stops two feet short is a trip to the yard and a lost half day for the crew.
Duct lift, panel hoist or scissor
A drywall panel hoist tilts a sheet flat to a ceiling and will not hold a trunk. A duct lift holds the section but carries nobody. A scissor lift takes the installer up with the material and is the answer when the run is high, long or over an obstruction. Many fit outs hire a duct lift and a scissor together.
The floor under it matters
Small castors want a swept, level floor with no cords, screws or debris in the path. Lock the brakes before raising anything, strap the section to the cradle, and keep the load centred as the mast extends. On a rough slab or over carpet the base fights every move, so clear the route before the material arrives.
Questions people ask about duct lift
Can one person install ductwork with a duct lift?
For straight runs at moderate height, largely yes, which is the reason these get hired. The lift holds the section steady while the installer sets the hangers. Awkward transitions, tie ins at a plant room and anything above the machine reach still need a second pair of hands or a scissor lift.
Will a duct lift fit in a van?
Most fold or break down to about six feet long and roughly two feet wide, which fits a cargo van with the load through the side or rear door. They weigh a couple of hundred pounds, so two people load one comfortably and one person should not try. Confirm the folded dimensions when you book.
How much weight can a duct lift hold?
Typical capacities run three hundred to five hundred pounds, which covers most sections of trunk, spiral and small terminal units. Capacity usually drops as the mast reaches full height and as the load sits further from the mast. Read the plate on the machine you are given, not a figure from a different model.