For your home’s HVAC system to work properly, the amount of air coming into your system must be the same as the volume of air leaving it. If your cold air return duct is too small, it can cause an imbalance between the two air flows. This can cause ductwork inefficiencies and hinder your HVAC system’s performance.

Why Modification May Be Necessary

During the manufacturing process, an HVAC system’s blower fan is set at a certain capacity. It will blow at a preset speed to send a predetermined amount of conditioned air out to your living space. To work efficiently, your system must have the same amount of air flowing in as the blower fan will be sending out.

In an ideal world, every room that has a warm air vent coming in should also have an equal size return vent. Reality is a bit different. Most homes have far fewer return air vents. In some cases, return air vents and ducts are not adequate for handling the volume of air needed.

How to Modify Your Return Ducts

Any modifications to your ductwork should be made by a trained HVAC professional. He has the knowledge to calculate what changes are necessary and the tools and equipment needed to make the modifications.

Your HVAC technician will measure the volume of air entering your HVAC system, as well as how much is exiting. With these numbers, he can measure the difference between both air flows. This tells him what modifications are necessary to balance them out.

To complete the modifications, your technician will first resize the return vent openings. He will then remove the old ductwork from the opening all the way back to your HVAC system. With everything clear, he can rebuild the ducts and re-frame the vent opening, adding a new filter frame in place. The final step is to install new filters and to turn your HVAC system on.

If you think you may need modifications made to your cold air return ducts, contact Powers Heating & Air in Peachtree City.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Peachtree City, Georgia and surrounding areas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).

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