Cold air returns

[Reit38]

I have one air return centrally located in the center of my house. My house is a split level. You come in the and either goto basement or the upstairs (main level)It's at the end of the hallway where my living room begins. Behind the wall where the return is, is my dining/kitchen. This area is always a temperature difference from rest of the house. My question is, can I add another vent in the dining room directly behind the vent in the hallway. Or by doin this will it change pressures on the hvac and have to have someone come out

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[kwschumm]

Warning, I am not an HVAC engineer. That said, the returns are on the suction side of the system. Unless the return is undersized I doubt it will have much effect on the system to add another return.

 

[DC73]

can I add another vent in the dining room directly behind the vent in the hallway.

Shouldn't be a problem. Just make sure the new return air vent allows air to pass through the existing filter or install a new grille with a separate filter.

I'm assuming your kitchen/dining is too warm in the summer and colder in the winter. If adding an extra return air intake doesn't bring the room temperature to where you want it to be, you might have to increase the size of the supply duct(s) to the kitchen/dining area.

DC

 

[zmaxmotorsports]

An added return won't hurt,just makeep sure it's before a filter.

 

[TommyK]

Ideally you would want a return in every room

 

[zmaxmotorsports]

Ideally you would want a return in every room

 

[kwschumm]

Ideally you would want a return in every room

Yep, most companies these days don't put in enough returns unless you demand it. Hard to retrofit on most homes.

 

[75gmck25]

In general, more air returns should make the system circulate air better into any room that has a return. The air total flow is limited by the large plenum where the main filter is located, so the HVAC operates the same.

In some areas it is common to have one or two large returns in the middle of the house (maybe one upstairs and one downstairs), and additional smaller returns in each bedroom or other area that may be shut off from the main part of the house. This ensures good circulation of air to all rooms when interior doors are shut.

Bruce

 

[DC73]

In some areas it is common to have one or two large returns in the middle of the house (maybe one upstairs and one downstairs), and additional smaller returns in each bedroom or other area that may be shut off from the main part of the house. This ensures good circulation of air to all rooms when interior doors are shut.

I have 3 central returns in my house but individual rooms had none. I improved my situation quite a bit by adding return air pathways to the bedroom doors. Like these:

http://www.tamtech.com/Perfect-Balance-In-Door-Return-Air-Pathway_p_105.html

DC

 

[kwschumm]

Some people just cut an inch off the bottom of the door.

 

[sourdough]

Some people just cut an inch off the bottom of the door.

I live near Pe Ell.

That is just too easy, sir!

Been there, done that. Kudos!

Jim

 

[73fxe]

On a split level house the cold air settles in the lower level. If You can bring some returns down to the floor in the lower level it will make it feel warmer in the winter.

 

[Fixin'Stuff]

Keep in mind that adding a vent to a door or even cutting an inch off the bottom will let more noise into the room. It can be tough to take a nap if you can hear everything else going on in the house.

Where I have access, I add filtered returns to every room. It makes a huge difference in comfort and "almost-closed" doors no longer slam themselves shut when the a/c kicks on. Tough to do this on the first floor of a 2-story house though.

Since the price difference is pretty low on the filter grilles and the filters themselves seem to cost the same regardless of size, I like to use larger filters. With the increased surface area (and far less total airflow at each filter than with a single return) I've found that I can often wait a year between filter changes in those rooms. Even then they aren't very dusty.

 

[DC73]

Some people just cut an inch off the bottom of the door.

Let's too much light in and the pathway I linked flows more air. Been there done that, learned a better way.

DC

 

[kwschumm]

Let's too much light in and the pathway I linked flows more air. Been there done that, learned a better way.

DC

Yeah, it's a dumb way to try to solve the problem.

 

[yeldogt]

Make sure it's a return issue and not a supply issue -- if the kitchen and dining are open to the rest of the house ... it's a supply problem. I can't tell from you post.

That's not to say you can't fix some issues in an open space with another return -- the return will pull air from other parts of the house. Ideally you want both.

Splits are difficult -- you need more return in the lower level when its cold out and in the summer the upper levels need more ... but still need good returns on the lower. Some have an upper with a damper.

In both summer and winter the cold air will fall to the basement.

 

[jhelrey]

I have 3 central returns in my house but individual rooms had none. I improved my situation quite a bit by adding return air pathways to the bedroom doors. Like these:

http://www.tamtech.com/Perfect-Balance-In-Door-Return-Air-Pathway_p_105.html

DC

Can be a fire code issue depending on where you live.

 

[Burl]

Ideally you would want a return in every room

No return in the bathroom or kitchen. You don't want smells in the rest of the house (good or bad).