How do I cut a hole in my drywall ceiling to install a plastic access hatch?

Question

Basically, we need to install a plastic hatch so that repairmen can access the main A/C unit for our central air system. (This is an apartment building/condominium built by the world's most crooked developer and the A/C units are so badly installed that it's hard to even get repair guys to come to our building.) The plastic hatch is 14x14 inches, and is the kind that "pops" in. We know exactly where it needs to go, but the job is too small for a handyman to bother with and our super is too busy to help. What's the best tool for the job, and what should I look out for (in terms of accidentally cutting into, say, a water pipe or dangerous electrical conduit)? I feel like this is kind of a stupid question, but I don't have anybody else to ask and the A/C has been broken for over a year!

Answer 1

with a cooking dog and a pic. fraim with a raw antique finesh

Answer 2

As a HVAC tech who has to crawl around people's attics, THANK YOU for thinking of us. There is not much a tech can do through a 14 x 14 inch hole, what will s/he be doing?

You will need a pair of gloves, goggles, mask, hat or scarf for your hair, drop cloth, a piece of cardboard, a utility knife, a keyhole saw or drywall saw, a hammer and a trash bag.

To cut the hole, use the hatch to make a template of the opening size out of cardboard.

You will need to locate the studs prior to cutting a hole. To do this, knock on the ceiling. The place where the studs are not will sound hallow, the place where the studs are will sound more solid. Some times you can see the nail heads.

After you have located the stud, place your template where it will not cross the stud, but you can still access the air handler. use a light pencil and trace around your template. Put masking tape down the center of this line and then re-trace your template over the tape with a dark marker. The tape helps protect the drywall from tears.

Put on your goggles, put down the drop cloth, and grab the hammer. In the center of your space that you've drawn with the tape, smack the ceiling with the hammer. You will want the head of the hammer to go through the drywall. Above the drywall will be a layer of insulation. This may be loose blown-in insulation, or it could be roll-type insulation. It is most likely fiberglass, and very irritating. Be aware of this. Pull the hammer back out of the hole you just made, and now use your keyhole saw to widen the hole large enough to get your gloved hand above the ceiling. Grab the trash bag and pull the insulation through the hole if it is loose. If it is roll type, leave it for now. With the insulation out of the way, reach up and feel around to see if there are any pipes, wires, or other objects that will block the access of the air handler. If there are, you will have to adjust the location of your hole just a bit to avoid these.

Once you've verified the exact location of your opening, use the utility knife to cut the line that you marked for the inside of your access panel. Cut it deep as possible, 1/4 inch is good, all the way through the drywall would be best. Do not cut past the corner, if you can help it. If you can't cut through the drywall all the way with the knife, use the hole saw to extend the hole you made earlier to the line you just cut. Saw out the perimeter of the opening.

If your insulation is roll type, you can now cut it with the utility knife (or good scissors) and remove it and place in the trash bag.

Place the access panel in the opening, and see if it fits properly. If yes, carefully peel off the tape and mount the panel per the instructions provided.

If the panel is hinged, put the hinge in a location that when the tech is accessing the air handler, the door isn't in the way.

Answer 3

Mark off the shape of the access panel, or the size hole you want to cut. Drill a 1/2" or so hole inside the mark. Then use a jig saw to cut out the mark. You can insert the jigsaw blade into the hole you drilled to get the cut started. I am assuming you know where you need it to be, and you know where the studs are and also whats behind the sheet rock where you want to cut.

You may want to cut out the hole a little smaller, and then trim it to fit. If you cut out too much-you can not put it back.

Answer 4

this is simple, goto home depot and get a drywall saw mark your wall stick your drywall saw point on the line and pop your saw with the palm of your hand and cut out the dry wall watch for electrical wiring that may be in the wall once you have cut the wall get a vaccuum and clean it up