Originally Posted By: ssopha
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Should there be a return vent in basement for HVAC to function efficiently; it is not a confine space and it has supply vents.
Should there be a return vent in basement for HVAC to function efficiently; it is not a confine space and it has supply vents.
Originally Posted By: jsavino
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A vent should be cut into the return. This will warm the area faster.
With out the return vent in the basement will build up static pressure and not heat up properly.
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John Savino
HomeWorks Inspection Services, LLC
St. James, NY
631.379.4241
Originally Posted By: ssopha
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The builder rep said that HVAC guy told him it is against code because of CO gas. He went on to say that he never saw one in all the basements he walked people through. I told him, all the basement I inspected or been in so far has one.
Originally Posted By: jsavino
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I don’t know what the codes are in your area, but it sound like the builder doesn’t want to pay for it. But that’s besides the point, the basement will take longer to heat. Or it may not heat up at all.
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John Savino
HomeWorks Inspection Services, LLC
St. James, NY
631.379.4241
Originally Posted By: Blaine Wiley
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My answer would be no. The areas I have inspected in did not allow a cold air return in a basement with a gas furnace and/or water heater because the basement is also the combustion air supply. You run the risk of starving combustion air or backdrafting the flues if the house is very tight.
Originally Posted By: jsavino
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I don’t think he’s talking about a combustion air return.
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John Savino
HomeWorks Inspection Services, LLC
St. James, NY
631.379.4241
Originally Posted By: ssopha
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http://www.nachi.org/bbsystem/usrimages/more/DSCN0042.jpg ]
Originally Posted By: jsavino
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Seeing that the basement is not finished at present, I agree that a return vent should not be installed, because the blower unit may create a down draft went it turns on.
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John Savino
HomeWorks Inspection Services, LLC
St. James, NY
631.379.4241
Originally Posted By: Ryan Jackson
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The IRC/IMC doesn’t require any return air! It simply says that you must heat the building to (going off memory here) 68 degrees at a level three feet above the floor. Thats what the code says, so I as a city inspector cannot require a return in a finished basement. You as an HI can, and in my opinion, should, strongly suggest a return in a finished basement.
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Ryan Jackson, Salt Lake City
Originally Posted By: cmccann
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No return in a basement. You want to use the air that is being cooled or heated. No need to use basement air, useless.
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NACHI MAB!
Originally Posted By: Ryan Jackson
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Let’s make sure we are all on the same page here.
Are we talking about a finished basement? I think we are, since in the original post the house in question has heat registers in the basement. If this is a finished basement, and therefore conditioned space, you should have AT LEAST one return in the basement.
BWiley: IF the house is that tight, then it is "unuasully tight construction" and therefore combustion air is required to be supplied from the exterior, not the basement, regardless of whether or not the basement is confined space. For the purpose of combustion air, nothing is worse than unussualy tight construction.
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Ryan Jackson, Salt Lake City