Does a furnace have to have a cold air return?
No furnace can adequately operate without sufficient return air supply
. We can think of a furnace as lungs. It ‘breaths out’ hot and it ‘inhales’ cold air. Air return vents are necessary for the ‘inhale’ process.
What happens if you don’t have a cold air return?
HVAC systems are carefully designed to support ease of air flow through a structure. Without returns,
positive air pressure is created that fights against the optimal flow
. That means air will get sucked up from cracks and gaps in the structure – especially around doors and windows.
Does furnace need a return line?
Things You’ll Need
The two-line fuel system on an oil-fired furnace consists of a supply line and a return line
. The supply line delivers fuel oil from the holding tank to the fuel pump. The return line sends excess oil not used by the furnace back to the oil tank.
Why do furnaces need cold air returns?
Does every room need a cold air return?
Does Every Room Need Air Return Grilles? 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
. The most important place to have these would be the bedroom.
Does a high efficiency furnace need a cold air return?
Since high efficiency furnaces draw air directly from outside,
the furnace itself does not require a fresh air intake
in order to replace inside air that otherwise would have been drawn from the room the furnace is located in.
Is it OK to block return vents?
It’s important not to block your return air vent because your HVAC system needs constant return air to work properly
. Blocked air return ducts will cause your system to lose energy efficiency and cause premature failure of your HVAC system. This does not mean you don’t have many options for hiding your return air vent.
How many returns does a furnace need?
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 much return air does a furnace need?
If the furnace is putting out
1,000 cubic feet per minute
of air flow, the return system must collect 1,000 cubic feet and take it back to the unit. An insufficient return system or one too large will reduce the efficiency of the heating and increase energy bills.
Where should air returns be located?
Place your cold air return vents
on the inside walls of buildings at the lowest point
. The return vent pulls cold air from the bottom of the room and returns it to the furnace to be reheated and returned as warm air. Unlike supply vents, return vents do not need to be cased in metal.
Does a basement need a cold air return?
Can I use flexible duct for cold air return?
Yes, you can use flex ducts for your return air
. However, to maximize its usefulness, it needs to conform to technical specifications such as its insulation rating, pressure checks, dust filters, duct sizing and placement, and lastly, the installation requirements.
How much does it cost to install a cold air return?
A return air drop replacement will run around
$300-$400
, including installation. In rare cases where a second drop needs to be added, the cost can be up to twice that amount.
Do I need return vent?
Return vents are integral to your home’s heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system (HVAC). Without enough return vents, your HVAC system would be hard-pressed to circulate the air inside your home.
Large homes should have at least one return vent in every room
.
Does second floor need cold air return?
In other words, adding a return to the second floor just because the second floor doesn’t have one is of little use.
Adding the return to increase system’s airflow (as a whole) is good if system airflow is lacking
. The majority of the systems out there do lack in that regard.
Should I add a return vent?
A second return duct can lower static pressure if the airflow bottleneck is on the return side. If the static is on the supply side, adding a second return will do nothing. So
it’s usually a good idea
.
Do all HVAC systems have fresh air intake?
The HVAC system does not mechanically bring fresh air into a building
. However, cracks and leaks in the HVAC ducts can allow exterior air to come indoors, so it is essential to regularly service your HVAC system to ensure that all filters are working properly and that there are no inefficiencies in the transfer of air.
How should a high efficiency furnace be vented?
Can you install a high efficiency furnace with only one pipe?
What happens if you cover an air return?
Blocking air return vents
causes your system to work harder
, as there is less air flow to move the air back to the furnace. This continued strain on the HVAC system can lead to a decrease in performance and more HVAC repairs down the road.
Can you cover an air return?
While you should have a filter on your air return vent to prevent too much dust or moisture from entering your air system and recirculating back to you,
you should never actually cover a return air vent
. Keep furniture and even curtains at least 10” away from the vent opening in order to allow for proper air flow.
Can you put a couch in front of a return vent?
Home Inspection Insider explains that an air return vent needs 6-12 inches of space in front of it, and recommends that you
do not put large, bulky furniture like couches and bookshelves in front of an air return vent
.
How do I know if I have enough return air?
Can you make a cold air return smaller?
Modify Cold Air Duct Sizes
Whenever possible,
expand your existing ducts vertically by cutting out pieces of wallboard and installing a new cover and air filter to fit
. If it’s not possible to expand vertically, expand horizontally as much as possible to fit the existing ductwork.
Can I close off a cold air return?
Your return vents are usually larger than your supply vents. They don’t have louvers like registers do, which means
you can’t open and close them
.
How many return vents should I have?
Ideally, every room except the kitchen and bath should have its own return air grille. At the very least,
each level of the house should have one
. Even so, many homes were built with just one or even no return ducts in an attempt to cut costs.
Where do you put cold air returns?
Cold air returns are located
on interior walls in a home, typically close to the floor or low on the wall
. You want to make sure that cold air return vents are not blocked or covered by furniture so that your home can get proper air circulation.
What is the purpose of the return on a furnace?
Return vents: What is a return vent? These vents
suck the air from each room and send it back to the air conditioning or heating system
. Return vents tend to be bigger than supply vents, and you won’t feel any air coming from them. When an HVAC system delivers air to a room, it increases that room’s air pressure.
How close can return be to furnace?
How many return air vents do I need in my basement?
Should air returns be on the floor or ceiling?
If you are in the far north, or in the Southern US, the answer is simple. In an air conditioning climate the return duct goes near the ceiling to draw off the hot air and cool it down. In a heating climate, the return duct goes near the floor to draw off the cold air and heat it up.
What is the purpose of the return on a furnace?
Does heater need return vent?
Return air vents are an important part of your HVAC system. These vents allow the air that is in your home to return to the system for heating or cooling in order to maintain the proper temperature in the home.
How do you install a return air duct on a furnace?
- Step 1: Determine Where the Ducts Will Go. Locate where you want your return air ducts. …
- Step 2: Begin Adding Panning. Go into the basement and locate the holes. …
- Step 3: Enclose New Ductwork. …
- Step 4: Add New Air Return Duct to Furnace. …
- Step 5: Install New Air Filter. …
- Step 6: Install Return Air Register Covers.
How far should return be from furnace?
Return air openings should be located
at least 10 feet
in any direction from a combustion chamber or draft hood on an fuel-burning appliance in the same room. The return air must not be taken from a kitchen, bathroom, closet, garage, mechanical room, boiler room, furnace room, or unconditioned attic space.
