Return Air Question - http://www.hvacmechanic.com/ Forums
Original message
| wildblue
 |  "Return Air Question"
, posted Mon 12 May 20:54  
Question about adjusting the return airflow to improve cooling on the upper/third floor of a townhouse. The house is heated/cooled by a 2.5 ton heat pump in the basement. The blower has trouble pushing air through the (probably) poorly designed ductwork to the upper floor registers. It's an occupied rental house, so it's not practical to tear out the upstairs ductwork, but the occupants would really like more cool air upstairs. There's a return on each level, approx 12" round in upper ceiling, unknown size (possibly 10" sq) on middle level, and 7" round w/short run on lower level. Supply registers are closed on lower level to help increase cool air on upper levels. I'm thinking that a lot of the return air is coming into the lower return vent, since it has the least resistance. I would like to block the lower level 7" return in summertime to pull more of the hot air from the upper levels...anything majorly wrong with this approach, given that I can't resize the ducting? Thanks!
Jon
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Replies:
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| ampulman
| "Re(1):Return Air Question" , posted Tue 13 May 08:05
Your returns could likely be undersized. Completely closing off the lower return could cause your a/c coil to freeze. Not good.
AM
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