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Cold air returns are what allow your furnace to “inhale” your home’s air. 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.
What is the point of a cold air return?
The answer may be your return air grills- also known as “cold air returns”. These are the vents that are usually on the wall and they do not have a control mechanism to open or shut their flow. Their purpose is to allow air to return to the furnace to be heated or cooled.
Do you need a cold air return?
Cold air return vents aren’t the most elegant feature in your home, but they exist for reason. These vents, commonly found in hallways or on ceilings, are absolutely essential to an air conditioner’s well-being. Cold air returns take in warm air from your home’s indoor spaces for use in your air conditioning system.
Where do you need cold air returns?
Ideally you want a cold air return register in every major room in your home. This would not include bathrooms and closets, but bedrooms, living rooms, etc. Older homes might only have just one or two on each floor.
How do I know if I have a cold air return?
You can identify return vents by turning on the system fan and holding your hand or a piece of paper up. If the paper is pulled toward the vent or you feel a suction effect, it’s a return vent.
Is it bad to block cold air return?
The system may not be able to cool or heat as efficiently, driving up your utility bills and diminishing your comfort. You can actually freeze the air conditioner coils by blocking return vents. Frozen coils not only reduce your system’s ability to do its job, but can damage the compressor.
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. If not enough air is brought back, your HVAC system will not be able to keep up with temperature demands. In some cases, two returns may be necessary to provide enough return air.
Can you place furniture in front of a cold air return?
Most people would tell you, no, you cannot put furniture in front of an air return vent. The bottom line is as long as the furniture piece is open on all sides and the bottom allowing the return air vent to draw in air to the heating and cooling system unobstructed, it should be fine.
Can you run electrical wire through cold air return?
electrician. You can run straight through the return air space between your joists, you can’t run along the return air space. Perpendicular, not parallel.
Can a cold air return 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.
How many cold air returns should a house have?
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.
How big does a cold air return need to be?
There usually are fewer return vents, but they are much larger. A typical supply vent is 4 by 10 to 12 inches and a typical return vent is 16 by 20 inches or larger. Houses often have two or more return collecting points, each with a filter, which join before re-entering the heating unit.
Do all furnaces have a cold air return?
Every building that uses forced hot air for heating will have cold air return vents. They do precisely what the name implies: return cold air from registers to the furnace so that it will run properly.
How does a return vent work?
What is a Return Air Vent? An air conditioner works by absorbing the warm air and moisture from your home. Once the dampness is separated from the air, your AC unit cools the warm air, and sends it back into your home through the return air vents.
Does blocking off vents in unused rooms help?
Closing the vents doesn’t do it any favors. In fact, instead of helping the air conditioner cool less, closed registers force the same amount of air through other ducts. This builds pressure in the system and makes your HVAC system work harder to distribute the air where you need it.
Where should I put my return and supply ducts?
“An HVAC return air duct should be in every room except a bathroom and kitchen. They should be on interior walls across the room from the supply ducts that should be washing exterior walls with conditioned air.”.
Should cold air returns be open or closed in the winter?
Because hot air rises and cold air falls, you need to adjust your return vents with the seasons. In the summer, your lower vents should be closed and your upper vents should be open. In the winter, your upper vents should be closed and your lower vents should be open.
Why is my room so hot compared to the rest of the house?
Dirty air filter—A dirty filter restricts airflow, not letting your home get enough cool air. Closed vents—Closed vents in rooms can cause them to be hotter than other rooms. Open windows—Your conditioned air can flow out of open windows, leaving uneven temperatures in your home.
Do bedrooms need return air?
Each bedroom needs either: A return air grille ducted back to the furnace; A through-the-wall transfer grille connecting the bedroom and the adjacent hallway; or. A crossover duct (a jumper duct) connecting a ceiling grille in the bedroom with a ceiling grille in the hallway.
Can a return air grill be too big?
Can an air return be too big? No, an air return cannot be too big, except in extreme cases where a closed room is temporarily under negative air pressure. Return vents maintain air pressure, filter out debris, and are critical to the efficient operation of any HVAC system.
Can you cover an intake vent with a couch?
It is best practice not to cover vents with furniture. If you place furniture atop a vent, it may dry out the wood and damage your expensive sofa or armoire. You may also cause your furnace or air conditioner to work harder, resulting in a higher utility bill or premature wear to your system.
Do you need a filter in a return vent?
Your AC system should have a proper fitting filter on the return side. By placing a good fitting, high quality filter on the return vent, you will remove particles from the air before they can enter the AC system. A good filter will keep your air handling unit, coils, and ducts clean.
Can you put a TV in front of a vent?
As a general guideline, the rear of the TV should be 2 to 6 inches away from the wall and the sides of the TV should have about 4 inches of ventilation space. Never place the TV in a confined space, such as a bookcase or built-in cabinet, unless proper ventilation is provided.
