Can you put a cold air return on an outside wall?

The best thing to do is open the wall and remove the duct and boot, do your air-sealing, and then insulate. That means finding another place for the supply vents, of course. … The only way to fix it fully would be to add exterior insulation to the wall.

Where should I put my return and supply ducts?

They must be correctly placed and unobstructed —Return ducts are usually placed in hallways, under stairwells, or in larger open areas of your home. This placement ensures that they will be able to pull in enough air to take back to the HVAC equipment.

Where should HVAC vents be placed?

Registers should be placed in the middle of the external wall (in the floor or low on the wall); if there are two external walls, both need registers in the middle. (If the room is tiny, one duct may work, even if there are two external walls.) Basic Rule No.

How many cold air returns should a house have?

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.

Should return vents face up or down?

There is no proper direction for the vanes to point. If they’re high sidewall, normally they would be pointed upward which makes them vision proof and just the opposite for low sidewall.

Where are return vents located?

Often referred to as high/low vents, ducts, and grilles, return registers are pairs of registers located near the ceiling and floor of rooms throughout your home. They contain slatted openings. You can recognize these registers because they are usually bigger than a supply vent.

Where do you put return air grille?

The return air vent openings need to be on the opposite side of the room so the conditioned air is pulled across the room. If the supply ducts are in the floor, then the return air should be located up high. This pulls the air across your body.

How far away should a return vent be from a supply vent?

You are correct, the supply should be at one end of the room and the return at the other end.

What does a cold air return do in a house?

Cold air returns are what allow your furnace to “inhale” your home’s air. These registers are typically located low to the ground in different areas around your home in order to capture the cold air that sinks to the floor.

How important is the return air vent?

Your AC’s return air vent is a critical component of an HVAC system and serves several purposes. Not only do return air vents maintain your home’s air pressure and filter out debris, they can also serve to save you on energy costs and expenses, which is important here in hot and humid Gainesville, Fla.

Are cold air return vents necessary?

Cold air return vents aren’t the most elegant feature in your home, but they exist for reason. These vents, commonly found in hallways or on ceilings, are absolutely essential to an air conditioner’s well-being. Cold air returns take in warm air from your home’s indoor spaces for use in your air conditioning system.

How big should my cold air return be?

A typical air return vent size (16×20) can provide airflow with a maximum of up to 1,500 CFM. To achieve that 1,500 CFM, we need a big pressure pushing air through the ducts and through the cold air return grille.

Can cold air returns be in the ceiling?

Most homes across the U.S. have forced air systems and in newer homes there will be cold air return vents placed at both the ceiling and the floor of many rooms. Having two air return vents allows you to seasonally control which air is returning to the HVAC system.

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.

Can air return too big?

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.