question about ductwork high and low return

[bronzemaxell]

my two story colonial home 2300 to 2400 sq ft. used to have furnace and ac, now has furance and heat pump, has supply register on floor in each room, and opposite wall has two return vents, high and low, distance between each register and return vents more than 10 to 15 ft apart. i remember my builder told me open high close low during winter, and open low, close high during summer, now my installer gave me a lecture about proper air mix, told me to do the opposite.

is it just a personal preference, can leave both open as well?

[George2]

We have always gone with the opposite theory. If the supply is low we install the RA high and visa-versa.

[beenthere]

Leave them both open summer and winter.

[bronzemaxell]

Hi, Beenthere
thanks for your good advice.
i've tried leave both high and low return vents open in each room, not sure if it is pschological or not, i feel more volume of warmer air coming out at the register, at least the 4 ton heat pump cycle on only 13 to 15 minutes per each run every 45 minutes when outside is 32F +, only consume about $2 to $3 of electricity per day.

[beenthere]

By leaving both open. Your letting the return pull as much air as it can so you get more supply. plus your getting that hot air off the ceiling and mixing it with the cooler air that is on the floor. Evens out the room temp.

[chuckcrj]

Here we go again

[chuckcrj]

Agree with Beenthere, leave them both open. This will give the supply registers more airflow and thus more throw.

[jtrammel]

Leave them both open summer and winter.

X2, your system will most likely last longer that way.