Table of Contents
Which return vents should be open in summer?
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.
Should cold air returns be up high or down low?
Without high registers, your home’s low-level registers will draw cooler air back to the system, and your rooms will be left with the warm air at the ceiling. Installed on both floors, high returns will significantly boost comfort and savings.
Where should return air vents be?
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.
Do return air vents point up or down?
If you have an Air Return is on the upper wall I like to slant the louvers upwards so that floor traffic does not view into the duct opening. That is the same with Supply vents as well IF you have adequate air flow and few cold or hot spots in the room from inadequate air flow or distribution.
How do you increase return air flow?
5 Ways to Improve Airflow in Your Home
- Check Vents and Registers. One of the simplest things you can do to increase airflow in your home is to check the vents and registers in each room.
- Turn on Ceiling Fans.
- Schedule HVAC Maintenance.
- Consider Duct Cleaning.
- Invest in a Ventilator.
Should return air vents be open or closed in winter?
It’s important to remember that hot air rises and cold air falls. In the winter you want the cold air to be drawn through the return registers leaving the hot air behind. By opening the lower registers and closing the top ones you keep hot air in and draw the cold air out.
How many return air vents should I 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.
Is it OK to cover a return air vent?
Keep couches, chairs and other large pieces of furniture at least 10 inches away from your cold air return vents. Avoid covering your cold air return vents with curtains, drapes or rugs. Clogged air filters can also cause cold air return blockages.
Where does the cold air return in the summer?
In the summer having the cold air returns near the ceiling is great. When the air turns on the fan sucks air into the return air vent, thus pulling the warm air from the ceiling and cooling it down, which keeps the house cool. Now in the winter time this system is not very efficient. Remember the hot air rises and the cool air stays low.
Where do you put cold air return vents?
These forced air systems also need vents for return air. Back then the cold air returns were in the floor. That’s where they need to be in the winter, close to the floor to pull the cold air in and warm the cooler air. So should you install cold air returns high or low?
When to allow cold air to return to the floor?
Before the winter weather hits, it’s important to draw cold air from the floor into the system. Just like with many home maintenance checklist items, we recommend using Daylight Savings as a time to check the regulation of your cold air returns. In winter, enable the bottom cold air to return and in the summer, enable the upper return.
What to do when cold air returns from ceiling?
In the winter close the top vent and open the bottom and the cold air close to the floor will be drawn in. This will also pull the warm air down from the ceiling, thus distributing the warm air more efficiently. Reverse this step in the summer. Close the bottom vent and open the top vent, so the warm air at the ceiling will be cooled.