Tuesday, 2 February 2021

Return in the basement

Hello everyone. I am a new member. Came to this forum for advice and education. Hope my question is allowed here.

I'm evaluating options for adding heat to my basement (cold climate Upstate NY). It's an L shape basement . One large area along the vertical line of an L and a separate room with the door on the horizontal line of an L. Natural gas 2-stage furnace with max 1600cfm. There will be three, 6" each, heat supply branches: two for the large area and one for the separate room. I had two contractors who gave me slightly different approach for the returns and I want to form my own opinion and make an educated decision based on what I learn. Basically, for the large area one person was to put only one return (6" branch) and "that should be enough". Another offered to put two returns. That large area is kind of divided into two subareas by protruding utility room with the furnace and water heater. But still there are no doors separating these two subareas. So, both options assumed that the returns will be in the walls of that utility room.

The room behind the door: one said that no return is even needed there due to the fact that I have an open celling (not drywalled, just open and painted floor joists) and the air will get pulled out of that room naturally through all the openings anyway. I assume he meant floor joists and the sliding door that is never really closed too tight? Another said he would run a return branch to the room with the door and he would cut a start collar right into the vertical return trunk that goes straight to the furnace (via an air filter) and run a return branch to that room. I am sorry if my terminology is screwed up - I'm doing my best to describe. Another option that was offered is to not bother with dedicated return branch to that room, and instead put a kind of pass-through vent in the wall that divides both areas.

Before speaking to them again I hope I can be a bit more educated on this topic. Is just one 6" return branch enough for the entire basement where three supply branches are planned as one was suggesting? What do you think the best approach is? The funny part is that everyone says that they will do whatever I, the customer, tell them to do:) I've researched a lot on my own and came to this forum hoping for a bit more education and advice, please.

Forgot to mention - supply runs will be on a ceiling. Any recommendations for a better diffuser are appreciated. I read that round diffusers are not good for heating, but no explanation why?


source https://hvac-talk.com/vbb/showthread.php?2226296-Return-in-the-basement&goto=newpost

No comments:

Post a Comment