Return Air Requirment

[t_p_us]

Can anyone here tell me what the requirment for a return air vent should be in So. California? My house is about 1800sq ft. The installer put this UGLY looking thing right as you walk in the front door. Keep in mind that the place IS where the center of the hous is, as I am told that that's where the vent should be. Anyhow, you look up into the vent and you can actually see the aluminum vent as well as the duct that's attached to it. Please help. I'm relly not satisfied and I need advice.

[dan sw fl]

Originally posted by t_p_us
return air vent ? 1800sq ft.
Please help. I'm really NOT satisfied and I need advice.

.. perhaps, 3-ton unit was used ... [?]
........... = 1,200 CFM total

A few 12x12" return air grilles ( up to ~200 CFM each) should be located in the bedrooms.

So with ~800 CFM remaining, put an 18" x 18" return air grille with filter and run to the air handler with 16"
diameter flexible duct.

R.A. grille can easily be 20 feet from the air handler.

If the installed unit is not 3 ton, revise appropriately.

[dec]

hummmmmm I can honestly say that I never had a 12 x 12 return air regester in a bedroom. Now maybe I had a regester that had equivelent square inches of opening but not 12 x 12. Would be no point in that being Im usally drawing through the bottom plate in a wall. A lot of 12x12 regesters in family rooms in basements but thats a whole differant story lol. DAN SW , you sure those ar'nt 14 x 6 return regesters in those bedrooms?

[dan sw fl]

Originally posted by dec
hummmmmm I can honestly say that I never had a 12 x 12 return air regester in a bedroom. 12x12 registers in family rooms in basements but thats a whole differant story lol. DAN SW , you sure those ar'nt 14 x 6 in those bedrooms?

No .. a 24 x 16 master bedroom with
4 large windows and
8'x10' sliding glass door facing West
NEEDS ' a Little AIR',
i.e. 450+ CFM ... two 12"x 12" or equal
to keep NC closer to 20 than 30.

[trane]

There is alot of info needed in order for us to tell you what size the returns need to be. If you have to live with what you got take the grill off and paint everything that you can see with the grill on flat black. I agree dec, I put 14x6 in most bedrooms and when I need a larger grill like in a hallway I like the looks of a 30x? grill better than a square one. I never put several small filter grills in because they would be a pain to change.

[dan sw fl]

Originally posted by trane
I never put several small filter grills in because they would be a pain to change.

Well, in Florida,
Bedroom Returns
are more or less required
due to State Building Code.

So, if you have them, USE them.

[trane]

Originally posted by dan sw fl

Originally posted by trane
I never put several small filter grills in because they would be a pain to change.

Well, in Florida,
Bedroom Returns
are more or less required
due to State Building Code.

So, if you have them, USE them.

I put returns in every bedroom but I don't use filter grills. 90% of our installs get media filters and the rest are a standard 1 inch filter and the returns are all filtered at the unit. Is it common to put filter grills in each bedroom in Florida? That would mean changing at least 4 filters every month in a 3 bedroom home.

[dec]

ok so they require filters in the bedrooms...I can see that but I think what trane is saying is that he would never put a lot of small filter grills in being they would probably be odd ball size filters in them....and a lot of hassel an price. Now the 12 x 12 return grills your putting in , are they just return grills or filter grills? Out of curriousity, are the grills pulling out of the ceiling or the wall cavity and if they are pulling out of the wall cavity , what size hole roughly do you have cut out in the bottom or top plate to draw air out of. Im not sure but being in Florida you might be just putting a can in the ceiling that is 12 x 12 being your doing more air conditioning anyway. Just asking so I totally understand what you are saying as far as how you are doing it in your part of the country. Where it gets cold you wont end up with too many returns on the ceiling like you might where it is warm all the time. Im sure Trane knows where Im going with this.

[dash]

Can't use building cavities for ducts in Florida.

Filter grilles are not required,but common practice in many areas of Florida.

Most returns are in the ceiling,12X12 likely an 8" round duct.


Florida code is RA in bedrooms,or transfer/jumper ducts.

When using filter grilles,you tend to end up with more filter area then ,using a filter rack,so they don't need to be changed as often.

[coco]

hes a cheapo who gets away with putting central returns in houses . ball park you should have 1/2 as many returns as supplies.say you have 20 heat runs , you should have 9-11 returns. think of how much time and $$ he saved putting 1 big return in rather than 10 smaller ones like he should have. every bedroom should have a return . living rooms should at least have 2. dont install returns near kitchen or bathrooms for smell reasons. returns are needed to circulate convection currents. hot air rises cool air falls for even and mixed temp distribution.