Question on cold air returns...

7 years ago

Hi there, we are renovating out 25~ year old house. Is there a way to add cold air returns to bedrooms? All our existing air returns don't have any ducting, they are just vents in the wall. Do returns needs to be ducted to the furnace, or can you just make a hole in an interior wall and add a vent?

This may be a beyond stupid question but I have no idea how these homes are built! The two back bedrooms have horrific temperature regulation and I wonder if it is because of the lack of return vents.

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Comments (3)

mindshift
7 years ago
Temperature regulation is a problem in many houses. The end of ducting runs may be too far from the source of heat, and there is simply not enough fan pressure to deliver. An additional fan can be hard wired into the duct closer to where the heat is needed. Alternatively, the location of air returns can cause poor distribution of heated air. Rooms that do not have return air may also not get sufficient heat delivered.

Your returns may use interior wall cavities as ducts, and there is nothing wrong with that. Your furnace fan draws the cold air back to itself as it sends heated air out. You can certainly add return air vents from the bedrooms into a hallway. I ran across a site with useful information on this question and saved it in my bookmarks. HERE is their answer on Cold Air Return, and HERE is what they said about maintaining static pressure in a duct run.
mike_home
7 years ago
How big are the bedrooms and how many supply vents are in each room? Do these bedrooms have large windows and are they drafty? Do you get good air flow from the supply vents?

It is more likely that the bedrooms don't have an adequate air supply than not having a return. A return is needed when the bedroom door has a tight seal and is kept closed. Even then there is enough air leakage to allow for air to enter from the supply. However the overall return to the furnace may be undersized.

Using a wall cavity for a return is a terrible practice. All the dirt an debris inside the wall cavity being pulled into the filter of your furnace. How often are you changing the filter? How are the dimensions and what type of filter do you use?

If you are going to add any returns it should be a well sealed hard duct.
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treetoronto3
Original Author
7 years ago
The bedrooms are an average of 15x20. I cant change air returns that are already there, that will just have to be. I was just wondering how that venting system works and if I am able to add additional venting. Thanks to all those who are helpful.

No need to be so obnoxious "klem1". I am asking how an average system works. I imagine you lack intelligent in some areas too.