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.
Doing that may have the following detrimental effects: It will impede, and therefore reduce, the total system air flow. 1. Air may not reach places in the system that you want air conditioned. 2. The air temperature of air coming out of your registers will likely be too cold in the summer and too warm in the winter. 3.
If these air return systems are obstructed, not only will you block the proper airflow and create stuffiness in the rooms of your house, but you will have uneven cooling or heating, lack of proper filtration, and potentially higher energy bills.
Return air ducts must be sealed and unobstructed — Sealing return air ducts is just as important as sealing supply ducts. Sealing all duct section connections with mastic, a specialized rubbery sealant, or with metal tape prevents air leaks.
Use cardboard. Paper won't hold against the air pressure. Those vents just screw on and off. You could unscrew it, pull it down, cut a piece of cardboard to fit the opening, then screw it back up there. That would look a lot cleaner than taping cardboard over the outside.
You run the risk of causing damage to the heat exchanger
A buildup of pressure from air being pushed to covered vents can cause difficulties with your heat exchanger, causing it to shatter and release carbon monoxide into the atmosphere.
You should never close your HVAC return vents, but supply vents can be adjusted to improve home comfort. In this blog, the trained professionals at Damiani's Comfort Design explain the strategy behind opening your supply vents and the dangers of keeping your return vents closed.
Therefore, opening the right return vents in the summer and winter significantly improves the distribution of air by your forced-air system. You'll also enjoy more even heating and cooling throughout your home. In the summer, open your high returns and close the low ones.
All supply- and return-duct connections should be sealed with mastic or approved tape. Because ductwork in cavity spaces is likely to be inaccessible, the duct system for airtightness should be tested with a duct-blaster test before installing the drywall.
If you prioritize heating, put the HVAC and vents in (or below) the floor. This principle works for return heating vents as well. Place returns for cooling in the ceiling where the warm air congregates and heating returns in or near the floor where the cold air congregates.
Dirty filters, leaky ducts, and poor insulation can cause cold return vents. Leaky ducts often cause cold air to blow even after cranking the heat up. 20-30% of air, especially hot air, is lost because of leaky ducts. Cracked, holey ductwork needs sealing or replacement.
The filter belongs on the return side of your HVAC's furnace and AC system. It's a “must” to have one there. And if you have a return air filter of the right size that is properly installed, then there is no need for a supply vent filter.
Piping shall not be installed in or through a ducted supply, return or exhaust, or a clothes chute, chimney or gas vent, dumbwaiter or elevator shaft.
You should never block your air return vents. Period. However, if you're looking to keep your home cooler in the summer, you can try closing lower supply vents and keeping upper ones open, allowing cooler air temperatures to come in from above and sink throughout your house.
Reduced efficiency: Your HVAC system will work less efficiently if you block a return air vent. This will make the units use more energy and will raise your utility costs.
Down Low: if you have your air return lower on your wall it will function better as a cold air return. This will allow your air return to draw in cold air as it sinks to the bottom of the room. Making it more efficient at recirculating this cold air through your furnace to repeat the heating cycle.
While it can be tempting to block the cold air returns for rooms you're not using to save energy or place furniture against them to arrange a room, blocking these registers is one of the most common ways to undermine your cooling and heating system.
In most applications, the door undercut would need to be 1.5 inches or greater to allow enough air to pass. There are some through-the-door alternatives that can be effective.
Running ductwork between floor joists is a smart and space-efficient way to manage HVAC systems, especially in homes with limited room for traditional duct placement. This method allows ducts to be concealed within the structure of the home, improving both aesthetics and airflow.
One per room is ideal, but placing two or three in central locations can provide enough air circulation to maximize the energy efficiency of your HVAC and optimize indoor air quality, so your family stays healthy. If your home has multiple stories, you should have at least one return air vent per floor.
Any gaps you see in or around the cold air return should be spray foamed, caulked or mastic in order to create an energy efficient HVAC system.
In winter, enable the bottom cold air to return and in the summer, enable the upper return. It's that simple.
In warmer months, do the opposite — open the supply vents in higher locations and close the ones placed lower. This will direct more cold air to the ceiling, which will sink to cool the whole space.
A blocked air vent can permit mold or mildew to develop in and around your vents and ductwork if you reside in a humid location. You can be wasting money on utility costs. You most likely thought covering your air vents would certainly save you energy, but it does the opposite.