Should every room that has a heat vent also have a cold air return vent also? Why or why not?

Question

Does this affect the heat in the room?
Does this affect the efficiency of the furnace?

If a room doesn't have a cold air return, is it worth the expense to try to add one?

Answer 1

When we install in a new construction every room except the bathroom and kitchen get returns for reasons that I shouldn't have to explain. It is more of a comfort issue than it is efficiency. I agree with the first answer to a certain extent. If the return air is sized correctly it will be just as efficient with a single return as it would with multiple returns. If a door gets shut and there is no return in that room then the room will get stuffy unless the door is cut off on the bottom to allow air to return under the door. This is a fairly inexpensive way to fix that problem. You don't necessarily have to tear drywall up to install a R/A. It can be done in a wall if an installer measures correctly they can access your wall from underneath and cut the hole in that stud space through the drywall and install a grille. The second way is to install a floor return which doesn't even cut into the wall, only the floor.

Answer 2

Ideally, yes, but there aren't too many houses that are actually built that way. The reason is the added expense of the ductwork. So, most rooms leave a gap at the bottom of the door to allow the room to vent air back into the main rooms that have a return air register. It doesn't effect the furnance's efficiency, but it does effect the heating of the rooms. It would be very expensive to add a return air duct at this point. Not only would you pay for the ductwork, but fixing the sheetrock on the walls.

Answer 3

Lets think of it this way. Your furnace is the brain of the house, and your ductwork is the blood supply. What happens when there isnt enough blood flow?? To be honest I do not believe EVERY room has to have a return, or as you put it a cold air return. Obviously every room has a supply, or as you put it a heat vent. In order for your furnace to be efficient it needs to have the air flow, other wise it will run and run to maintain the temp requested. In other words it wastes gas or oil. My company would only charge a couple hundred dollars to run an addition return duct. Your furnace is only as good as the ductwork, get a heating company in there to give you a free estimate. Good luck.

Answer 4

examine your filters and Coil then clean or replace the filters, have the coil wiped clean if grimy. set your thermostat and leave it on my own an excellent if it rather is interior the room your blockading thats no longer good the two. i does no longer completely close off the vents, partly close off the provision yet no longer the return. because of the fact interior the iciness if there are any pipes interior the partitions, ceiling, floor, and so on, they could freeze. interior the summertime save an air bypass will help the room from being stinky from no air circulate. Seal up the residing house windows and climate strip the doorways interior the full residing house, examine your filters and your contraptions coil, clean or exchange if grimy. the clarification you do no longer block the return is precisely what that's the return to the unit, whether it rather is blocked it is going to eventially reason issues on your unit and could make your invoice even larger, because of the fact the unit will the two artwork extra stable or give up. additionally it could desire to be the only return interior the residing house.