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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. So, in a nutshell, it recycles air from each room in your home.
Are return air vents necessary?
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. Likewise, you can also install these in rooms that have a high footfall or usage in the house.
What is the purpose of return air vents?
Your Return Vents Are Responsible for Air Pressure When your HVAC system blows air into your home, that changes the air pressure inside. The excess air needs somewhere to go, and that spot is the return vent.
How do you tell if a vent is a 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.
Where is my AC return vent?
Return air vents are generally located near the center of the homes. Older and newer homes often have one register per floor, but homes built from 1960-1990 may have a cold return air vent in each room.
Should a return air vent have a filter?
Should you use a filter in your return vent? For most homes, return vents filters are suggested. They typically won’t cause any damage to your HVAC system and are easy to install – there’s no need for an HVAC technician.
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.
Why are my return vents blowing cold air?
Explanation: Leaks in your ductwork means that cold, unconditioned air from inside your attic gets sucked into your ductwork. That cold air mixes with the warm air from your furnace, causing the air coming from your vents to feel considerably cooler than it should.
Can you have too much return air?
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.
What is the difference between a register and a return?
Usually, a register is placed near a window or door, which is where the greatest heat/cooling loss occurs. In contrast, returns (grilled ducts which suck air back into the HVAC system for heating or cooling) are usually placed in the wall or ceiling nearest the center of the building.
Why does my return vent smell?
Smells in your ductwork can be caused by a variety of sources such as mold and mildew, animals in your home or ducts, duct leaks, plumbing leaks and issues, building materials, or mechanical issues, such as a leaky (and unsafe) heat exchanger or a bad blower motor that is overheating.
How do you clean return vents?
Fill your sink or tub with a solution of dish soap and hot water. Immerse the vent cover in the soapy water and leave it to soak for about 20 minutes to loosen stubborn dust and grime. Remove the cover from the water and scrub both sides with a damp cloth.
Should return air vents be high or low?
To ensure efficiency during the cooling season, your home should have high registers. High return registers draw hot air that rises to the ceiling back into the system to repeat the cooling cycle.
What is the difference between exhaust and return air?
Exhaust duct systems are generally designed to convey contaminated air from industrial process and work spaces to the outdoors, while return air systems are generally designed to circulate “spent” air through a conditioning unit for reintroduction back into the conditioned space.
Should return air vents be open or closed in 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.
Does Duct Cleaning improve airflow?
Here’s what a duct cleaning does, as well as some of the myths about what duct cleaning actually doesn’t do. Ductwork cleaning does not improve air flow (and can actually help impede it), does not permanently remove mold or odors, and, depending on the type of ductwork, actually cause damage.
How big should my return air duct be?
The duct for this system must be sized by using 6 square inches of clear duct area for each 1000 BTU of cooling. Each ton of cooling contains 12,000 BTU. Multiply the tonnage, 3.5, by the total BTU per ton and this will give you the total BTU rating.
How do I know if I have enough return air?
Try this simple test when your HVAC system is running: get a piece of tissue paper and dangle it about six inches from one of the return vents. You should be able to see it being gently pulled towards the vent. Next, place it up against return vent and see if the air suction holds it in place.
