If it seems that your home remains hot or stuffy even while your air conditioner is running, you may have a problem with inadequate return-air ducts. No matter how hot it is outside, there’s no reason that your climate control system should not keep your home sufficiently cool. When your home becomes uncomfortable, it’s probably a good time to ask an HVAC professional to undertake a ductwork evaluation.
What’s a return-air duct?
Return-air ducts play a key role in keeping the air circulating in your home. Your air conditioning system works like a p
ump to “push” cool air into a space. Return ducts will assist in this process by “pulling” air from the room and returning it to the air conditioner to keep the air flowing.
Where should they be?
With the exception of bathrooms and kitchens, you should expect to find a return-air duct vent in each room of your home. If you do not have an adequate number of return duct vents or grilles, you may experience problems with moisture buildup or stuffiness due to lack of circulation.
Can return-air ducts be added?
If your HVAC professional has determined that your home has an inadequate return-air supply, you need not fret. In most situations, retrofitting ductwork is not only doable, but is also relatively affordable. In a single-story home, your contractor probably can use your wall cavities as additional ducts. Two-story homes require a little more creativity, but retrofit work can be done. Your professional can make use of laundry chutes, closets and pantries to get the air flowing between floors.
If you feel that your air conditioning system is inadequately cooling your home, contact a professional to determine if your ductwork is the root of your problem. Adding return-air ducts will make you more comfortable, and will make your system more efficient, an improvement that will reduce your energy bills.
For more expert advice on return-air ducts and other matters related to home comfort, please contact us at Marsh Heating & Air Conditioning. We’ve been serving the Twin Cities metro area since 1974.
Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about return-air ducts and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
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