How many Returns w/Zoning??

[eberrong]

I am having a Carrier Infinity heat pump system with zoning installed next week. I have requested the following zones…

Zone 1 – Master Bedroom, Master Bathroom (w/2 WIC’s)
Zone 2 – Living Room, Dining Room, Study/Bedroom #5, Foyer
Zone 3 – Kitchen, Nook, Family Room, Laundry
Zone 4 – Bedroom #2 (w/WIC), Bedroom #3, Bedroom #4, Hall Bath, Pool Bath

My contractor has specified 6 returns. One in Master Bedroom one in each Bedroom 2-5 and one in the family room. So effectively zone 2 & 3 will share the family room return. There are no doors between zone 2 & 3 with the exception of the laundry room door.

I asked the contractor why not add a return for zone 2 and he said that there is not one required in zone 2 because there are no doors between 2 & 3. Does this make sense? Would it be better to have one in zone 2?

[eljeffe]

We have an almost identical situation w/ a Carrier Infinty system. Seems to work fine.

[dash]

He's correct unless you want to maintain different temps in those zones,then you'd want to place the return "on the line" between them,or have one for each zone.