Need guidance on moving return air duct

[arkayassoc]

I have just purchased a house that has a partially furnished basement, but no inside stairway to the basement. It has a finished staircase to an unfinished second floor. The only way you can currently get to the basement is by going out a door to the deck, down an open deck staircase, across the lawn, and in an outside basement door.

The logical place to install an inside staircase would be directly under the finished staircase to the second floor. However, one of the return air ducts is located near floor level on this vertical wall. Can I move this return air duct to the top of the wall, and add a door and staircase to the basement?

This return air duct and proposed basement staircase door are on a main floor hallway.

[Ed Imeduc]

Not seeing just what you have is hard . But if you can get the same sq "return go ahead and do it. It might help with the heat and cool being up there for a 2 story. I have taken the cold air cut into a stair riser lots of time . if that would work. Can pan down the stairs underside and cut the grill in the bottom riser.

ED ;)