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ACinSC 
Orange Level
Joined: 16 Dec 2015
Location: South Carolina
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 Topic: HVAC return?
Posted: 30 Aug 2023 at 9:55am |
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Having our master bathroom remodeled
Contractor pulled the Sheetrock (wall) off. Found the return has no ductwork. Just runs in the stud bays. Think the other 2 returns are the same. Is this a common practice? Thanks
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jaybmiller
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Joined: 12 Sep 2009
Location: Greensville,Ont
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Posted: 30 Aug 2023 at 10:06am |
YES ! It's a highly profitable CHEAT.... uses the cavity, saves buying tin to do the job RIGHT..... have seen them REMOVE the insulation to do this SCAM.....
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3 D-14s,A-C forklift, B-112
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ACinSC
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Posted: 30 Aug 2023 at 10:24am |
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Sounds about right, thanks Jay.
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plummerscarin
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Posted: 30 Aug 2023 at 11:54am |
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Interior walls? Yes, very common
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Pat the Plumber CIL
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Joined: 11 Sep 2009
Location: Springfield,Il
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Posted: 30 Aug 2023 at 12:52pm |
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Yes common here ,mostly back in the day . Believe they have to pan the studs on both sides presently. Hear rumors of insulated plenums and returns being required in the future.
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You only need to know 3 things to be a plumber;Crap rolls down hill,Hot is on the left and Don't bite your fingernails
1964 D-17 SIV 3 Pt.WF,1964 D-15 Ser II 3pt.WF ,1960 D-17 SI NF,1956 WD 45 WF.
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Allis dave
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Posted: 30 Aug 2023 at 1:55pm |
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Common here too. I wouldn't call it a cheat. Why do you need a metal pipe inside our wall just to move air when you can just suck it throguh the wall?
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DMiller
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Joined: 14 Sep 2009
Location: Hermann, Mo
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Posted: 30 Aug 2023 at 1:58pm |
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HVAC Code on return air wall duct here is Tin shielded for fire extension limitation.
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ACinSC
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Posted: 30 Aug 2023 at 2:16pm |
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Thanks guys, it's been this way since day one. Seems to work fine
My guy said he'd run ductwork but I really don't see the need. Only issue I've had is a slight whistle when the return filter gets a little dirty. Guess it pulls air through holes where the towel bar is installed. Thanks again
Edited by ACinSC - 30 Aug 2023 at 2:17pm
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SteveM C/IL
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Posted: 30 Aug 2023 at 5:11pm |
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Not as important on an old build when there was no AC around. Would seem more important on modern HVAC system. I grew up in a house heated with coal furnace. It had no fan just convection principal. Hot rises an cold(return) sinks. Furnace was in the basement.
Edited by SteveM C/IL - 30 Aug 2023 at 5:12pm
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ACinSC
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Posted: 30 Aug 2023 at 5:26pm |
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Old-timers were way tougher than me. I'd sure hate to live with air conditioning . Don't see any houses around here with basements. Thanks
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Coke-in-MN
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Posted: 31 Aug 2023 at 3:21pm |
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Remember old gravity air was backwards from present designs , return air was generally floor mounted by outside walls and windows and heat was on interior walls or floors .
Now return is on inside walls and heat to perimeter of building on or near windows .
The day of gravity movement of hot and cold air has changed and seldom used , same with in many regions ceiling mounted heat and cooling is used rather than floor level.
I had a return air on interior wall and on opposite side was refrigerator , so i ended up cutting a vent to pick up the heat on the coils on back of frig as it was covered on top by cabinets , stops heat buildup behind frig.
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Faith isn't a jump in the dark. It is a walk in the light. Faith is not guessing; it is knowing something.
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Lars(wi)
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Posted: 02 Sep 2023 at 6:48am |
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Every house owned up north used the spacing between the joists as ‘cold air returns. Only ductwork was in the basement where the ‘run’ went across the room to the furnace.
Here in Texas, the houses we had, all have been no basement, so just one big ‘cold air return’ vent close to the furnace that sits on a floor, or up in the attic.
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I tried to follow the science, but it was not there. I then followed the money, and that’s where I found the science.
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jaybmiller
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Posted: 02 Sep 2023 at 6:54am |
the new 'cheat' I've seen is the HVAC 'pros', staple 'HVAC ducting' to the bottom of the floor joists. It's maybe 1" thick hard fibreglas with aluminum on one side. I say 'cheat' as they only seal the section to section gaps NOT lengthwise , so it's NOT sealed like traditional metal ducts would be.
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3 D-14s,A-C forklift, B-112
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DMiller
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Posted: 02 Sep 2023 at 7:02am |
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Current designs are essentially cardboard with a aluminum skin. Our own home has that where the seams are tape sealed and the contact face is a adhesive edge.
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ACinSC
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Posted: 02 Sep 2023 at 7:24am |
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Not sure what my guy's plan is. He won't be back until Tuesday. They did fill empty wire? Holes in this stud bay. Have 2 returns at the top of the wall and 1 at the bottom. He said they should have put all 3 floor level. It has been working okay for 25 years. Thanks
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jaybmiller
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Posted: 02 Sep 2023 at 8:25am |
I've been told.....top of wall returns are for air conditioning, bottom for heat. The problem is the returns need to be 'seasonally' adjusted. Should have automatic dampers/ doors controlled from HVAC unit.
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3 D-14s,A-C forklift, B-112
Kubota BX23S lil' TOOT( The Other Orange Tractor)
Never burn your bridges, unless you can walk on water
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Tbone95
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Posted: 02 Sep 2023 at 8:33am |
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steve(ill)
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Posted: 02 Sep 2023 at 8:58am |
Some bigger houses use to have LOUVERS... manually controlled to close off the SUCTION for heat or AC .......... others just had TWO as jay said, and let the system balance itself out..
WE have a Ranch house ( one level) with a LONG center hallway... thats the "return".. as mentioned above, the furnace just as a 20 x 20 filter BOX on the side for the return air.
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Like them all, but love the "B"s.
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jaybmiller
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Posted: 02 Sep 2023 at 9:03am |
yes, but it's not 'rocket science'.
I remember when 'fuzzy logic' came out. It was a short lived 'fad,' though the microcomputers I was using (PICs) were/are ideally suited to 'fuzzy'.....cut 1,000s of lines of assembler back then...
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3 D-14s,A-C forklift, B-112
Kubota BX23S lil' TOOT( The Other Orange Tractor)
Never burn your bridges, unless you can walk on water
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ACinSC
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Posted: 02 Sep 2023 at 9:57am |
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Thanks for all the input. I'm sure it will be better than it was.
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Tbone95
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Posted: 02 Sep 2023 at 1:06pm |
 jaybmiller wrote:
yes, but it's not 'rocket science'.
I remember when 'fuzzy logic' came out. It was a short lived 'fad,' though the microcomputers I was using (PICs) were/are ideally suited to 'fuzzy'.....cut 1,000s of lines of assembler back then...
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Zoooommmm
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Relysero
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Posted: 10 May 2024 at 4:07am |
While I'm no expert, having the return without ductwork might not be uncommon, especially in older homes or certain layouts. It's often a way to save space and money on installation. But if you're concerned about efficiency or airflow, it's worth consulting with an HVAC professional. I once had a similar situation when renovating my kitchen. Luckily, I found a fantastic Appliance Repair, Nashville. They not only fixed my fridge but also gave me some insights into HVAC setups. Maybe they could offer some advice too!
Edited by Relysero - 13 May 2024 at 5:18am
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jaybmiller
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Posted: 10 May 2024 at 5:56am |
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spam or fish ?
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3 D-14s,A-C forklift, B-112
Kubota BX23S lil' TOOT( The Other Orange Tractor)
Never burn your bridges, unless you can walk on water
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Lars(wi)
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Posted: 10 May 2024 at 6:38am |
jaybmiller wrote:
spam or fish ?
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Never liked spam, always tasted like munching on a salt block. I’ll take the fish, salmon grilled, thank you.
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I tried to follow the science, but it was not there. I then followed the money, and that’s where I found the science.
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plummerscarin
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Joined: 22 Jun 2015
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Posted: 10 May 2024 at 6:59am |
Spamphish. More common in the fresh waters found around Austin Mn. All parts of this species are edible 
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