Cold air return - hole in the wall???

[billy_5555]

Hi,
i bought my first house a few months ago so i'm new to all of this.
I have noticed that the majority of my air returns are nothing but holes in the drywall with a vent cover over top. There is one air return on the main floor (2-story house) that has a vent but that's it. Is this normal?
Thanks.

[marksr]

Not sure if I understand your question. Most homes only have 1-2 fresh air returns [usually has filter installed there]. All the other vents are where the heat/ac comes out. Both are always connected to duct work that eventually goes back to the air handler.

[tlogan]

Some builders really cheap out and just build a chase for the return. Or maybe it's actually built out of ductboard instead of metal ducts so it LOOKS like it's just a hole in the wall. The ductboard would look like drywall, especially through the slats in the vent cover.

The only time I've ever seen a true hole in the wall for a return is in the basement going from a finished area to a non-finished area where the furnace is and the return is in the furnace plenum. Usually because the vents blowing in are at the ceiling so the return needs to be at the floor and running a duct would be really awkward.

Just my $.02

Tom

[Ed Imeduc]

You got it That is how any and all cold airs are put in. Thats if its ok with code there. We use the space in the studs and in the joist as duct work for the cold air all the time. Now you do want to make sure that there is a filter at the furnaceor Ac if you have more than one return grill. if just one grill then that can have a filter in it. Dont forget new filter every 30 to 90 days all the time

ED