What is the purpose of a return air vent?
The supply vents in the AC system push air into the home after cooling it. All this air needs to go somewhere to keep the air pressure from building, and the return air vent helps maintain this balance. 2. Reduces Energy Costs
Does having too many return air vents decrease efficiency?
The efficiency of your HVAC system will not decrease from having too many return air vents. Although, at a certain point, adding return air vents will have no impact. Those rooms that do not have return air vents are not going to get good circulation. That means less heat or conditioned air in those spots.
Do I need A Return Vent in every room?
By installing a return vent in each room, you reduce the strain placed on your HVAC system as there is free flow of air into the ducts from anywhere in your house. As such, a return vent in every room can help improve air quality, maintain stable temperatures, and save you money. Is It Bad To Cover Return Vents?
Why are return air vents important for your Gainesville home?
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. Need AC Repair or Service in Gainesville?
What happens if you dont have a return vent?
Not having enough return air vents is an inefficient way to circulate air through your home. Similarly, if you have vents in every room, ensure to keep them all open. Closing vents in unused rooms increases pressure in the air ducts and puts the whole system under strain.
Are return air vents necessary?
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.
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.
What is the point of a return vent?
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 many return vents should a house 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.
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.
Why are my return vents blowing cold air?
So why is cold air coming out of your vents? It is most likely a leaky duct system—but you should have your home's heating efficiency checked out by an HVAC professional.
Can I close vents in unused rooms?
To save some money you may wonder if it's okay to close air vents in unused rooms in order to direct air to other areas. Unfortunately, that's a bad idea. Closing air vents can actually cause your HVAC system to run inefficiently and damage your AC or furnace, costing you more in the long run.
Where should a return air vent be located?
Return air vents are generally located near the center of the homes. Older and newer homes often have one register per floor, but homes built from 1960-1990 may have a cold return air vent in each room.
Does every return vent need a filter?
In general, it is recommended to have an air filter in every return vent (as long as you choose the one of the right size and thickness). The filters will improve the air quality in your house and will protect the HVAC equipment from dust, pollen, pet dander, and hair.
Why is my return air vent dirty?
Here are some of the most common culprits: Your air ducts are leaking. Cracked or damaged air ducts can allow contaminants to enter your system and cause your filter to clog up. They can also significantly increase your energy bills.
How much does it cost to install a return air vent?
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.
Where should a return air vent be located?
Return air vents are generally located near the center of the homes. Older and newer homes often have one register per floor, but homes built from 1960-1990 may have a cold return air vent in each room.
How do I know if I have enough return air?
If you were to put a wet finger close to the vent that is generating airflow, you should be able to tell if there is a lot of airflow or not enough airflow. This is the simplest way to tell if you are getting enough return air. If you lick your finger and put it close to the return vents, you will feel the airflow.
How much does it cost to add a return vent?
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.
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What is return air vent?
A: The return air vent is an integral part of your HVAC or AC system that keeps your home pressurized. It is where air is brought back (recycled) through your home’s heating and cooling system.
How does a return air vent work?
A: The return air vents work by absorbing the warm air along with the moisture and cooling it through the HVAC system. Or, by taking in cooler air to be heated.
What happens when an HVAC system blows air into your home?
As your HVAC system blows air into your home, it changes the air pressure inside the house. All this air needs to go somewhere, and this is when the return air vents come into play.
Is it important to compare return air vents?
Although it may not seem as important when you compare the return air vents to the other parts of the AC or heating system, you will soon learn their importance.
Do supply vents work?
A: No, supply vents work by blowing the cool air out and into the house while the return air vents take the hot air into the duct system, vice versa when you’re heating your house.
What is a Return Air Vent?
An air conditioner works by absorbing the warm air and moisture from your home. Once the dampness is separated from the air, your AC unit cools the warm air, and sends it back into your home through the return air vents.
Why is my return air vent not working?
If you have abnormally high heating and cooling costs, or your system does not maintain the desired temperature in your home , you may have a problem with your return air vents.
Why is an HVAC system important?
A properly functioning HVAC system is essential to a comfortable home. While many people know how to operate their AC system, very few people know how it actually works. 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.
What is the name of the ducts that warm air travels through?
Warm air travels through a specific set of ducts (called a supply duct ), and once cooled down, it travels back to the vents through another set of ducts (called a return duct ).
How does an HVAC system work?
An HVAC system is basically a recirculating pump that works by heating or cooling air and then pumping it into a home. As conditioned air is pushed in, the air already in the home needs a place to escape. Return air vents serve this purpose by helping to pull in the air and putting it back into the system.
What happens when you close the vents on your AC?
When you close a system’s vents, you’re changing the air pressure. Your AC doesn’t have a sensor that tells it the vents are closed. Therefore, it’ll keep sending the same amount of air that way.
Why is it important to have a clean air filter?
When your air conditioner absorbs air, provided that you have a clean air filter, it’ll also trap excess debris to keep your household’s air quality in optimal condition. 3. Saves on Energy Bill. This will only be the case if your ducts are installed properly and don’t have any leaks.
Why is it important to clean AC return vents?
If your return air vents aren’t kept clean, you and your family may end up breathing in polluted air at a much high rate . Regular cleanings of your return air vents will also help you save money on energy costs and expenses related to possible repairs to keep your AC system running efficiently.
How Many Return Air Vents Do I Need?
Generally speaking, you should only need one return air vent per room in your home. However, you may need additional air vents for larger sized rooms. Regardless, the number of return air vents that your home requires depends on the size of your house, the size of the rooms, the ductwork, your particular HVAC system, and a variety of other factors.
How Does a Duct System Work?
As mentioned above, the duct system in your home is like a circulatory system in your body. Only the duct system circulates the air instead of your blood. The air circulation is apparent when you have either your heater or air conditioner on.
Why is return air important?
Return air vents are just as important as the air vents themselves. The air supply vents push the air out into your home from the HVAC unit. You need equal pressure to take the air back to the HVAC unit. Think of it as your bloodstream. If you have a blockage somewhere, it is going to cause a buildup or possible stroke along with your circulation system eventually.
How does a return air duct work?
The system pulls in air through the return air ducts and pushes it out through the supply vents. There are return ducts and supply ducts so that the airflow continues to flow uninterrupted. When you do not have enough air return vents, the system has to pull air from somewhere else. It will continue to search for small holes or cracks ...
What happens if you block an HVAC vent?
Think of it as your bloodstream. If you have a blockage somewhere, it is going to cause a buildup or possible stroke along with your circulation system eventually. If you do not have an equal amount ...
What does it mean when a room doesn't have a return air vent?
Those rooms that do not have return air vents are not going to get good circulation. That means less heat or conditioned air in those spots. Just like your own circulation system, if you do not get enough flow in that area, it can be bad.
Why does my furnace need return air?
The reason for return air is simple. Your furnace is simply a recirculating pump. Instead of pumping water, it is pumping air. We need to get the air back to the pump. Furthermore, without a return air duct in each major room, the supply duct air has to "push" all of the air in the room out of the way as it makes its way towards you.
Where should HVAC return air ducts be?
"An HVAC return air duct should be in every room except a bathroom and kitchen. They should be on interior walls across the room from the supply ducts that should be washing exterior walls with conditioned air."
What is the air duct in your house?
The air ducts in your house should be designed exactly like the blood vessels in your body. Think about it. The veins and arteries supplying blood to the different parts of your body, even out to your fingers and toes, are the same size as the veins and arteries returning that blood back to your heart.
What is the purpose of a return air grill?
The intent is to wash the exterior walls with heated or cooled air. You are trying to combat the heat or cold at its source. The single giant return air grill in the floor balances the load at the furnace motor but does nothing to promote cross-ventilation in each room.
How to get the most bang for your return air buck?
If you want to really have a way to get the most bang for your return air buck, think of installing grill covers on the wall that have operating louvers. This will allow you to choke down rooms possibly on the first floor that are drawing too much air.
Where is the red arrow on a furnace?
The red arrow points to a large wall-mounted return-air vent. The furnace or air handler is probably on the other side of the wall behind that door. How many return air vents should be in your home? The number MAY SURPRISE YOU! Copyright 2018 Tim Carter
Where to put return air?
It's best to put them on an interior wall across the room from the supply duct. © 2018 Tim Carter
