Does every room need a cold air return?

Does Every Room Need Air Return Grilles? While it is a myth that air return grilles are required in each and every room in the house, it is definitely necessary to have more than one of these grilles installed at strategic places in the house. The most important place to have these would be the bedroom.

What happens if a room doesn't have a cold air return?

The consequences of inadequate return air pathways

Some of that air will find its way under the door and through interior leaks back to the central return vent. The rest of it, though, will push through openings and leak to the outdoors and into interstitial spaces. It leaks out.

How many cold air return vents do you need?

Your Home Might Not Have Enough Return Vents

Having several return vents (ideally one in every room, but even two or three is better than just one) creates consistent air pressure. If you have one return vent, your home is fine. Keep the doors to each room open so air can properly circulate.

What happens if there is not enough return air?

If there is not enough return air available, your HVAC system will not heat or cool properly. They must be properly sized — Return air ducts must be large enough to carry a sufficient amount of expended air back to your furnace, air conditioner, or heat pump.

Why do you need a return vent in every room?

Multiple Vents Keep the Balance

The air that the return air vents pull in needs to be equal to the air blown out of the system to keep an equilibrium of effort on the HVAC system. Without this balance, the HVAC will endure unnecessary stress that could cause wear at a faster rate.

Learn about Cold Air Returns

Will a cold air return make a room warmer?

When warm air is delivered to a room, the existing cold air in that room is pushed into the cold air returns. Once inside your cold air returns, that air travels through your ductwork back to your furnace where it is filtered, heated and sent back to warm your home.

Can cold air returns be in the ceiling?

Most homes across the U.S. have forced air systems and in newer homes there will be cold air return vents placed at both the ceiling and the floor of many rooms. Having two air return vents allows you to seasonally control which air is returning to the HVAC system. In older homes, this may not be an option.

Can a return air duct be too small?

If the return duct is too small, there are an inadequate number of return grilles or they are undersized, it can't return enough air to recirculate back into the system. The average duct system has 25% less return air than required according to National Comfort Institute.

How big of a return air vent do I need?

Generally, if you are using a Duct Sizing Chart or calculator (such as the Trane Ductulator), size the re- turn ducts for 0.05 inches/100 ft (0.40 Pa/m) based on the expected airflow through that return air duct. The total sum of air from all the returns should be at least 250 CFM/nominal ton (33 l/s per-kW).

How can I increase air flow in my bedroom?

Where should my cold air returns be located?

Cold air returns are located on interior walls in a home, typically close to the floor or low on the wall. You want to make sure that cold air return vents are not blocked or covered by furniture so that your home can get proper air circulation.

How important is the return air vent?

Your AC's return air vent is a critical component of an HVAC system and serves several purposes. Not only do return air vents maintain your home's air pressure and filter out debris, they can also serve to save you on energy costs and expenses, which is important here in hot and humid Gainesville, Fla.

What happens if you block a return air vent?

Blocking air return vents causes your system to work harder, as there is less air flow to move the air back to the furnace. This continued strain on the HVAC system can lead to a decrease in performance and more HVAC repairs down the road.

Can you put a couch in front of a return vent?

Home Inspection Insider explains that an air return vent needs 6-12 inches of space in front of it, and recommends that you do not put large, bulky furniture like couches and bookshelves in front of an air return vent.

Can you have too many air returns?

To answer your question, no, you normally cannot supply too much return air. If installed in a certain fashion, with bedroom doors closed, it is possible to put a single room or two under negative pressure but that won't affect the amount of heat entering the room substantially.

Should a basement have a cold air return?

I recommend that all basements should have at least 2 supply registers and 1 return register in the basement/equipment area just to keep that area slightly warm or cool and the air fresh. If you are going to finish that area to be used as living space, then more supply and returns will be needed.

Can a return be too big?

No such thing as too much return. It will not take in any more air than it pushes out, thus no such thing as too big. Its hard to imagine a return that is too big ,but you want the return to have some draw to evacuate an area.

What size should a bedroom return be?

The Size Of Your Return Ducts

In most cases, if you are installing ducts in each room where there is a supply, you will want to go with the same size as your supply vents. If you are installing just one or two return vents, you will want to go with a 12-inch return for 2-ton units and lower. 14- inches for 3 and up.

Is it better to undersize or oversize ductwork?

Using oversized ducts will erode the system's efficiency, while undersized ducts won't carry the necessary volume of air. Balanced airflow. To maintain neutral pressure in the HVAC system and throughout the house, the duct system must deliver and return a matching volume of air.

Can a return vent be too big?

Return ducts and vents cannot be too big. A big grille won't help if the duct is small.

Is it OK to block cold air return with furniture?

Keep couches, chairs and other large pieces of furniture at least 10 inches away from your cold air return vents. Avoid covering your cold air return vents with curtains, drapes or rugs. Always check your air filters and replace them when needed. Clogged air filters can also cause cold air return blockages.

Do you need a cold air return in bathroom?

Return air shall not be taken from a closet, bathroom, toilet room, kitchen, garage, mechanical room, boiler room, furnace room or unconditioned attic.

Should cold air returns be floor or ceiling?

If you are in the far north, or in the Southern US, the answer is simple. In an air conditioning climate the return duct goes near the ceiling to draw off the hot air and cool it down. In a heating climate, the return duct goes near the floor to draw off the cold air and heat it up.