Am wondering if anybody has had a similar problem or any suggestions...(this is long, bear with me!)...

I live in a 220 yr. old cape cod. I have an open crawlspace that is below street level and therefore takes in quite a bit of water during heavy rains. This is not a problem for the structure (had that looked into!) but is a huge problem for the ductwork that is installed beneath the flooring on the first floor. I have to repair the ducting constantly, and it is very clear now that I need to completely remove the ducting from there - or find a type of ductwork that is slim enough that it won't touch water when it comes streaming through - though supposedly if it was slim enough to meet this requirement it would be undersized. Currently I have round soft ductwork (sorry, I am not technical - it is not the metal kind, but the flexible kind, that is insulated). I have been told that metal ducting won't help either, as it will still take in water and I will then have a mold problem.

I have considered split units but don't like the modern look of them for an old house, have started looking at a system like SpacePak but am unsure as to the cost, and am also wondering if there are other ways the ducting can be run for both the 1st and 2nd floors that doesn't require ductwork under the house.

The main line for the ducting for the upstairs runs above the ceiling of the old backporch which was converted into a kitchen/bathroom. The ceiling height of the kitchen/bathroom is approximately two feet lower than the two rooms in front of it.

What I'm wondering is - would it be possible to duct the rooms in front of the kitchen through the wall off this main line, and likewise duct through the ceiling of the kitchen/bathroom? This would then mean that I can do away with all the ductwork beneath the house.

The house is small - just over 1000 sq ft with the majority of sq footage on the ground floor. I'm thinking it shouldn't be so impossible to find a solution....

Any ideas?

Thanks!

Mel :)