Gas and Oil Home Heating Furnaces - How many return air grilles do I need for the furnace/water heater room?

Can I add as many air return grilles for my furnace/water heater room? I'm thinking of adding 2 grilles on the sheetrock wall(one at the bottom and one at the top on the side of room that face the open area of other room) and 2 grilles on the sheetrock wall(on the front of room that face the staircase to first floor). The other side is facing the concrete wall.

Thanks!

DY

???

You mean return grill for air make up into the room for the blower (meaning you have no return ductwork)?

or..

Make up air for the burners?

Jay,

I have the air return duct but someone told me it's better to add the air return grilles for the combustion air. A ventilation air outlet grille on the top and another inlet grille on the bottom of the wall. Is this true?

Thanks!

DY

your furnace room should have a source of combustion air - and it sounds as if you're planning to provide it. Top or bottom shouldn't matter. At least, according to the code at the last home I renovated.

If you already have a pipe brought into the room from the outdoors next to the furnace/water heater, you won't need to add anything.

if you don't have that, some older homes had fresh air tied into the return itself.

Otherwise, if you don't have both above, I'd suggest bringing in a pipe from the outdoors, that way you are not taking up already heated air from your home for the burners.

Thank you all. My house is only 6 years old. I'm not sure whether it bring the air from outside or not. Since, I'm remodeling the basement, the furnace and water heater will located in the unfinished area with a door to it. From what I understanding from you all, I don't need to add the ventilation air (air return grilles) if I have the air bringing from outside. How about the air is bringing inside the house?

Thanks!

DY

If you will close up this room and no outside air to it. You have to let the furnace have 1 sq " of air for every 1,000 btu of the furnace and water heater For make up or combustion air. Going into that room from the home.


ED ;)

Right, if you are getting air in from the outdoors into the enclosed room, you won't need to add any grills in the door/wall.

Look for this outside.

http://img79.imageshack.us/img79/4194/photo43gy9.jpg

Not a dryer vent, this should have a screen to keep things from going in.

It's either going into your return ductwork or near the furnace like mine.

http://img230.imageshack.us/img230/4772/photo46ew4.jpg


If you don't have it all, now is the time to do it since your basement is open. Your home is some what new, so it's not going to have enough "make up" for it,, so you can't count on just the house air.. newer homes are tight, and it should of had this put in the first place (depends on code) to make up air that the dryer, range hood, bath fans, water heater, and furnace puts it exhuast outside.