cold air returns

[Sheephead Slayer]

this is our first winter in our new (1959) house. the basement is freezing cold due to poor insulation, air coming in under front steps, leaky windows etc.. I'm working on those.

My friend said to hold a piece of paper in front of my cold air returns to make sure they are circulating air so i did, and they sure dont seem to be. I had the furnace on and i couldnt even get a piece of tissue to suck up to the register. I looked in furnace room and cant seem to find any kind of damper on them. the air filter gets dirty though.

any tips would be great!!

thanks

Kevin

[sparcebag]

Is your furnace gas? is it old about 6ft x 6ft big box and blower combined ontop?

[Sheephead Slayer]

actually its a brand new payne.

[Pooh]

are the cold are in a flex duct or in solid duct work? if its flex the air flow through flex is horrible. you lose 1 cfm per foot if its a blown air like a bath fan. with an air that's being drawn it may not flow through there, but i dont know that for sure.

[sparcebag]

Is the return hooked to the furnace intake or just in the room?

Try to give a full description, questions can be asked post after post.is the furnace room sealed pretty good?

[fastkaw]

Is the basement finished? Is the furnace in the basement or on the 1st. floor?

(a counter flow unit)

This could go on for ever, we need a MUCH better description of the equipment,

duct work and the home/basement.

I can't tell you how many homes I have gone into with the same problem.

Home owners finish the basement with out knowing what they are doing.

Let the next guy worry about it.$$$$$$$$$$

DISCLAIMER: i am in no way an expert, at anyting. anything i say is my own opinion and/or observation, and should never be regarded as fact, unless otherwise stated.

[Sheephead Slayer]

The duct work is solid not coil, the air return seems to come into the top of where the a-coil is, circulates thru the air filter and into the furnace. It is in the basement with a closet built around it, the basement is finished but by someone who did everything incorrect, the shower didnt even have a pan in it if that gives you an idea of the craftmanship :)Sorry but i just don't know enough about this to give a good description. vant type any more my feet are freezing!!

thanks

[CFRay]

You may only be able to hold a piece of Kleenex against the largest return air grilles in your house. An 8" x 16" size will probably not hold a tissue against it.

The return air duct should connect to the bottom of the furnace unit. That's where the filter is located. The warm/supply air goes out the top with the A-coil within the supply duct. You mentioned its a newer furnace. The returns from the house should all collect into the one return air connected to the furnace.

Take off a couple of the return air grilles and look in there. Use a mirror to see down the line. There could be 40 years of dust/dirt in there, or something larger blocking the air path. With the furnace off, remove the air filter, use a flashlight and check if there isn't something else in the air path, insulation, paper, old air filter. etc. You may be able to see that area better by removing the furnace front panel and looking to where the filter is located. Only do that if you are sure you can get it back on. Perhaps the previous owner restricted or disconnected the duct somehow in the build out of the finished basement.

This is a general statement but,,the amount of warm air that the furnace pushes into the house can only be the same amount it takes from the return air in a ducted closed system. If you not able to detect much air going into the returns then there cannot be much air coming out the supply's. Good Luck.

[fastkaw]

Sheephead

I would suggest you call a HVAC guy.

The description you gave is backwards. Look a little closer at it.

You found the return air duct, thats the one the filter is in. It will not connect with

the supply duct. It may run next to or over the top off the supply duct but not

together. (as in two in the same duct.)

In most cases the return duct comes down the side of the furnace. Follow it up

to the ceiling. From there it will parallel next to the supply duct. In older homes

they would pan of two floor joist to make a return air duct, to get to the interior

walls and go up (1st. and 2nd. floor or down basement) from there.

Keep looking it's not that hard to figure out.

sparcebag, may be abule to give you a little better description of what to look for.

[sparcebag]

You know a A coil? Can you see it? Either a few different angles of pics or HVAC guy?

Fast is right the fresh air should be low heated out the top.UNLESS its a attic or mobile home furnace,then heat & Air cond travel past the A coil out the bottom and fresh air supply is frontal or side.

Is your furnace up off the floor? I believe code is Min. 18 inches,This may give a idea of if the installer did it correct

[Tom7227]

Sheep, you got everyone PITW. Post some pics or call someone in cause you ain't gettin this solved with what's on here so far and the guys that have responded know what they're doin.

[DuckDog]

So, I am finishing my basement - the cold air return "box" (where the flex pipe comes into) seems full from the upstairs. Kinda like there would be no room for another flex line to come into; but I would like to connect a couple lines for the downstairs. Any ideas?

Also there is a insulated pipe that is not connected to anything but runs to the outside. Kinda like a cold air line that just runs to the bottom of the furnace but not connected.

[sparcebag]

You can install a couple Ys and double up or put a vent in the lower part of the uilities room door.The pipe that runs outside is required for fresh combustible air.

[acman2u]

Is your furnace up off the floor? I believe code is Min. 18 inches,This may give a idea of if the installer did it correct

What? that is the code for a furnace installed in a garage!

as for the problem at hand it is best to have someone that knows what they are looking for to look at the system.

[Mnwalleye39]

my house was built in 1865 and when i lived in it for first 2 yrs heatingwent through the roof till i call a guy to clean my air ducts and then poof the air circulated and then heating bills went down big time, maybe call a air duct cleaning service and get your ducts cleaned, for basement being cold, on your heating duct cut a small hole in it to release air in basement 2 inch hole does wonders.

[Mnwalleye39]

Tom your annoying little bugger

[Mnwalleye39]

another way is getting one inch insulation and wrapping your duct work to preserve heat, it wont help circulate but it will conserve heat, cuz 2% of heat loss is through ducts ,oops 2% every 2 inches is lost

[DuckDog]

You can install a couple Ys and double up or put a vent in the lower part of the uilities room door.The pipe that runs outside is required for fresh combustible air.

I think I will put a vent in the door. Seems rather easily done. Thanks.