Yes you should be concerned. When we size the duct work it is usually the minimum size needed. By reducing this opening you are affecting the furnace. Depending on the type you can cause enough excess heat to cause the safety’s to trip.
Can a return air grille be too big?
Return ducts and vents cannot be too big. A big grille won’t help if the duct is small.
How big should my return air grill be?
To calculate return air grille size, take the CFM of the HVAC unit and divide it by 350 to get the grille area in square feet. Next, multiply the grille area by 144 to convert it into square inches. Finally, choose your preferred grille size that matches the required grille area.
Is it OK to partially cover return vent?
Is It Okay To Cover A Return Air Vent? 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.
Why is sizing a return duct correctly important?
An undersized return duct system reduces the amount of air flow through the system and may cause reduced comfort and efficiency as well as poor supply airflow, duct sweating, improper refrigerant charge, and excessive air noise.
What happens if there is not enough return air?
If there is not enough return air available, your HVAC system will not heat or cool properly. They must be properly sized — Return air ducts must be large enough to carry a sufficient amount of expended air back to your furnace, air conditioner, or heat pump.
Can you have too much return air?
This isn’t the most efficient system. 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.
What size should the return air grill be for a 5 ton AC unit?
x 25-in. Return grilles are the best choice for a five-ton system in order to deliver 2,000 cfm back to the blower without causing the return to hemorrhage.
How do I know what size cold air return I need?
Well, as always, it primarily depends on how big a furnace we have. Nonetheless, in many cases, we can estimate the number of cold air return vents needed in the basement by square footage. You should install 1 return vent per 200-300 sq ft of basement. This is not an exact figure; it’s a ballpark estimate.
How do you measure air return vent?
Measure Vent Covers
- Remove your existing vent cover. Note: Do not measure your existing cover.
- MEASURE THE DUCT OPENING IN YOUR FLOOR, WALL OR CEILING. (LENGTH IN INCHES -BY- HEIGHT IN INCHES) THIS IS YOUR DUCT OPENING SIZE. …
- Match the duct opening size to the corresponding vent cover size listed on the product listing.
Is it better to undersize or oversize ductwork?
It’s better to be a little undersized than oversized, You’ll get a little longer run time, but it’s better than shortcycling.
Can Return air vents be moved?
Quote from the video:
Quote from Youtube video: It since return vents do not have any duct work with them they're easily moved this does not affect your hvac. System at all as long as you maintain the ability for air to get back to the hvac.
What happens if ducts are too small?
Ducts that are undersized will increase the static pressure, which will result in excessive noise as air moves through the system. It is often loud enough to be distracting, so it will not be difficult to overlook and should be addressed, as undersized ducts overwork the heating unit.
Can a return air duct be too small?
If the return duct is too small, there are an inadequate number of return grilles or they are undersized, it can’t return enough air to recirculate back into the system. The average duct system has 25% less return air than required according to National Comfort Institute.
Are return air vents necessary?
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.
Are cold air returns 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.
Is it OK to put furniture 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.
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.
Does every room need a return vent?
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.
What happens if you block a return air vent?
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.
What happens if a room doesn’t have a cold air return?
The consequences of inadequate return air pathways
Some of that air will find its way under the door and through interior leaks back to the central return vent. The rest of it, though, will push through openings and leak to the outdoors and into interstitial spaces. It leaks out.
