Relocating a return air vent

[rockcrawler]

Sorry, this is not garage related, but I didn't know where else to ask. I've looked all over the internet and I can't seem to find what I'm looking for. I'm not even sure if I'm using all of the right terminology for that matter. My issue is that during a bathroom remodel, I've discovered that the return air vent on the wall in my bedroom allows air to go into the wall and up to a duct that was located inside of a fur down in my hall bathroom. Well, that fur down is now gone and I'm left with an open duct in the ceiling of the bathroom. I'm not sure what to do about this. I'll admit up front that have no idea what I'm doing. I'm taking this on because I want to remodel the bathroom and I want to learn. I'm trying to do this without having to pay someone else.

 

[zmaxmotorsports]

Is that bedroom wall load bearing?
If its not Id tie the top plate in on a few other joists to make sure it cant move,Then Id remove that piece of the plate above the return and pan/box the area in to seal it.
Then Id cut a return higher up in the wall towards the ceiling,close off the stud space under it.

 

[Stuff]

What does it look like above? I assume attic space. Not ideal but should not be too difficult to move it to be a ceiling return in the bedroom.

 

[rockcrawler]

What does it look like above? I assume attic space. Not ideal but should not be too difficult to move it to be a ceiling return in the bedroom.

That's actually the first thing I thought of, but was unsure about it. Is there any rule on where it should be placed in relation to the A/C vent? To me it would be obvious that you wouldn't want it anywhere near the A/C vent. My A/C unit in the attic has a filter in it. Are these supposed to have filters also? I have two of these in my house and neither one has a filter.

 

[rockcrawler]

Is that bedroom wall load bearing?
If its not Id tie the top plate in on a few other joists to make sure it cant move,Then Id remove that piece of the plate above the return and pan/box the area in to seal it.
Then Id cut a return higher up in the wall towards the ceiling,close off the stud space under it.

I don't know if it is load bearing or not. I'm not sure what you are explaining. Sorry, I'm a newbie.

 

[shoot summ]

Are you sure it is a return?

Kind of odd for a return to be in a bathroom, could be a supply.

Returns are typically located centrally, hallway, larger rooms, etc.

 

[crabjoe]

That's actually the first thing I thought of, but was unsure about it. Is there any rule on where it should be placed in relation to the A/C vent? To me it would be obvious that you wouldn't want it anywhere near the A/C vent. My A/C unit in the attic has a filter in it. Are these supposed to have filters also? I have two of these in my house and neither one has a filter.

Usually Vents are under openings like windows and returns are on interior walls.

As for a filter, I usually seem them at the air handler, but sometimes, when a common return is used ... as in one large return for a floor or a house, I've seen the filter placed there. Basically, you need a filter before the returning air enters the air handler.

 

[rockcrawler]

Are you sure it is a return?

Kind of odd for a return to be in a bathroom, could be a supply.

Returns are typically located centrally, hallway, larger rooms, etc.

Yes, it ***** air in. The duct was located inside of a fur down (box) that was on the ceiling of the bathroom. I think they where all the rave in the 80's. The inside of the fur down was open to the wall framing. So, the air would enter the vent located on the opposite side of this wall in the master bedroom and travel up the wall between the studs and sheet rock and then into the duct in the ceiling. The sheet rock and studs were essentially acting as an air duct. The air duct in the ceiling is directly above the vent close to the floor on the opposite wall. The pic was taken in the master bedroom and shows where the intake vent cover goes.

 

[CNGsaves]

As "general rule" you want Return vents to be across room and "opposite" from Supply vents. Thus, if you have Supply vents down on floor, then you want your Return to be up high (this is most common).

Also, Return air is VERY important to keep air balanced and moving/circulating in the house . . . . and in particular . . . large rooms that are not near main Return venting.

Really need to tell us more . . . what else in basement fur out that you removed ?? How big is room where that Return vent was located ?? How many and where were Supply vents in that room ??

If that were mine, I'd figure out way to get "2 For 1" with that Return cavity to pull some air from bathroom along with larger bedroom on other side of wall. There is one problem with that as it makes all the sounds in bathroom pretty much easily heard on other side of wall in bedroom !!

Lots of things to brainstorm and think about. Whatever you do, that Return vent SIZING needs to stay the same or increase. Good luck.

 

[rockcrawler]

As "general rule" you want Return vents to be across room and "opposite" from Supply vents. Thus, if you have Supply vents down on floor, then you want your Return to be up high (this is most common).

Also, Return air is VERY important to keep air balanced and moving/circulating in the house . . . . and in particular . . . large rooms that are not near main Return venting.

Really need to tell us more . . . what else in basement fur out that you removed ?? How big is room where that Return vent was located ?? How many and where were Supply vents in that room ??

If that were mine, I'd figure out way to get "2 For 1" with that Return cavity to pull some air from bathroom along with larger bedroom on other side of wall. There is one problem with that as it makes all the sounds in bathroom pretty much easily heard on other side of wall in bedroom !!

Lots of things to brainstorm and think about. Whatever you do, that Return vent SIZING needs to stay the same or increase. Good luck.

This is a single story house with no basement. The room the return vent was in is 15’ x 13’ and has one supply vent in the ceiling. The hall bathroom is where the fur down was located. This bathroom and the master bedroom are on opposite sides of the wall from each other. The only thing inside the fur down was two can lights for the bathroom lighting.

 

[mustangacman]

Frame an opening in the ceiling of the bedroom oposite of the supply duct and cap the top with a piece of plywood. Measure the diameter of the return duct and cut a hole in the plywood. Move the return duct to this new opening. Frame the opening so as you can use the same grille. You may need to add some duct to make it reach.

 

[CNGsaves]

This is a single story house with no basement. The room the return vent was in is 15’ x 13’ and has one supply vent in the ceiling. The hall bathroom is where the fur down was located. This bathroom and the master bedroom are on opposite sides of the wall from each other. The only thing inside the fur down was two can lights for the bathroom lighting.

That makes sense why they had Return vent down low . . . . your Supply is high in the ceiling.

Thus, you do want to keep same setup . . high Supply and low Return.

Think you are stuck with some sort of Fur out in bathroom. You might get creative and put in shallow medicine cabinet that takes up portion of that wall cavity but lets air go behind it.

What ever you do, keep low Return in that big bedroom . . . . or you won't be getting benefit of proper air movement throughout house.

 

[bzinsky]

Just so I don't have to make another thread for the same issue, I have ceiling registers for supply, and a central return in my ceiling as well. It's horrible for heat. I was thinking about creating a low return to use during winter, and some sort of vent switch that activates the ceiling return in summer. I assumed you'd want them different depending on if your heating or cooling.

Did I assume wrong?

 

[75gmck25]

Based on the picture it looks like the return air vent was on the wall outside the bathroom (hallway?) and they just used the bathroom wall framing as a chase to connect to the open pipe in the fir down area. The return air vent did not go into the bathroom, but to the next room.

If you can move that round vent in the ceiling about 10-12" back, it would then connect to the ceiling of the room or hallway next door. However, there is probably some good reason they did not do that in the first place. You might have to also move it left or right to find a clear path to the ceiling of that room.

Bruce

 

[brewchief]

What type of ductwork is in the attic? Flex? I would cut the top plates in the wall and use a couple of 3 1/2" x 12 or 14" wall stack boots at the top of the wall and tee or wye in the attic to connect them, If the flex running back to the airhandler was older I would also replace it with new flex with the highest R value I could find and might even increase the size.

No return in bathroom, kitchen or laundry rooms, keep the smell and moisture out of the ductwork and the rest of the house.

 

[zmaxmotorsports]

What type of ductwork is in the attic? Flex? I would cut the top plates in the wall and use a couple of 3 1/2" x 12 or 14" wall stack boots at the top of the wall and tee or wye in the attic to connect them, If the flex running back to the airhandler was older I would also replace it with new flex with the highest R value I could find and might even increase the size.

No return in bathroom, kitchen or laundry rooms, keep the smell and moisture out of the ductwork and the rest of the house.

 

[zmaxmotorsports]

Just so I don't have to make another thread for the same issue, I have ceiling registers for supply, and a central return in my ceiling as well. It's horrible for heat. I was thinking about creating a low return to use during winter, and some sort of vent switch that activates the ceiling return in summer. I assumed you'd want them different depending on if your heating or cooling.

Did I assume wrong?

Heat naturally rises,Do you have any ceiling fans?

 

[Muzzy]

To the original poster, if I were doing it I would follow the advice of our HVAC experts and move the bedroom return to the ceiling.

Since you already have the wall open, and will quickly become skilled at patching walls anyway, I would also install a ceiling fan in the bedroom. That should help with any concerns of having proper air circulation in the room.

 

[rockcrawler]

What type of ductwork is in the attic? Flex? I would cut the top plates in the wall and use a couple of 3 1/2" x 12 or 14" wall stack boots at the top of the wall and tee or wye in the attic to connect them, If the flex running back to the airhandler was older I would also replace it with new flex with the highest R value I could find and might even increase the size.

No return in bathroom, kitchen or laundry rooms, keep the smell and moisture out of the ductwork and the rest of the house.

Yes, it is flex. There is a mini hallway next to that bathroom that leads into the master bedroom. I'm thinking the easiest thing to do would be to move the vent to the ceiling of that hallway. It would be about a two to three foot move. The hallway is actually part of the master bedroom.

 

[rockcrawler]

To the original poster, if I were doing it I would follow the advice of our HVAC experts and move the bedroom return to the ceiling.

Since you already have the wall open, and will quickly become skilled at patching walls anyway, I would also install a ceiling fan in the bedroom. That should help with any concerns of having proper air circulation in the room.

There is a ceiling fan in the bedroom.

 

[DC73]

I'm thinking the easiest thing to do would be to move the vent to the ceiling of that hallway. It would be about a two to three foot move. The hallway is actually part of the master bedroom.

This sounds like a good plan. That would put the return far enough from the supply vent to not cause any issues.

DC

 

[Ohmthis]

Brewchief has the right plan. This allows the original design to work, keep the work to a minimum, no extra holes to cut or patch.

 

[LS6 Tommy]

NEVER put returns in a bathroom.

Tommy

 

[Richard Cranium]

I was told if you have air cond. you want your return as low as you can get it.

 

[DC73]

I was told if you have air cond. you want your return as low as you can get it.

Actually, it's just the opposite. It's more typical for air conditioning dominated climates to put the return vents up high so as to capture the warm air rising to the ceiling and return it to the unit to be cooled. In heating dominated climates, it's more common to put the return vents down low to capture the cool air near the floor and return it to the unit to be heated.

Ideally, you would have a return vent in each room that has a supply vent, the total return capacity would correctly match the supply system, and return air vents would not be in close proximity to supply vents.

DC

 

[LS6 Tommy]

I was told if you have air cond. you want your return as low as you can get it.

Well designed forced warm air heat & A/C duct layouts will have two return grills- one by the ceiling for cooling and one closer to the floor for heating. Only one is used at a time, depending on the season.

Tommy

 

[zmaxmotorsports]

Well designed forced warm air heat & A/C duct layouts will have two return grills- one by the ceiling for cooling and one closer to the floor for heating. Only one is used at a time, depending on the season.

Tommy

Around here we have the supplies/returns on the same level generally,Either in the floor or on the ceiling.

 

[rockcrawler]

What type of ductwork is in the attic? Flex? I would cut the top plates in the wall and use a couple of 3 1/2" x 12 or 14" wall stack boots at the top of the wall and tee or wye in the attic to connect them, If the flex running back to the airhandler was older I would also replace it with new flex with the highest R value I could find and might even increase the size.

No return in bathroom, kitchen or laundry rooms, keep the smell and moisture out of the ductwork and the rest of the house.

ZMAX mentioned the same thing. So, let me get this right, I completely cut out the top plate over the 15" opening between the studs and insert a boot that will connect to my current flex duct? Is that safe? ZMAX mentioned tying in to other studs. How would I go about tying (bracing) the cut out area? Can I cut out two side by side to have two boots? My current setup was using two openings for the return. I'm thinking I'm going to need two to maintain the same amount of flow. Am I correct?