This YouTube video offers an interesting discussion regarding returns on HVAC units in basements. The comments to the video are worth reading. Which side is right? Should the guy have added a return?
IDK, it raises some good points. Certainly having a return in the basement is going to help heat the basement with better/proper air flow. IDK where his claim that the register is going to pull 5% of the air came from. Being so close to the blower, I would expect it could pull a lot more air than the same size return located upstairs far away from the furnace.
The issue that you should not have a return essentially at the furnace is a more interesting one. I see people saying it's a code violation. Maybe, but I'm not so sure how different that is from say a furnace in an upstairs utility closet. In that case, you have to have ventilation, eg vents in the door to let air in for combustion. And you can have returns not far away, say in the hallway outside the utility room. With vents letting air flow through the utility closet door, or the utility door open, that seems pretty close to what you have here. That's code compliant, AFAIK, done frequently, etc. Also, if it's a direct vent furnace with air supply from outside, as is common today, then I'd say it's mostly a moot point.
Here's the mechanical code. Check out page 99:
My interpretation of what's there is that what the youtube guy did is OK. I only see two things that would possibly apply. First, it says you can't put a return in a closet, toilet, garage, mechanical room, furnace room..... If you look at the definitions, furnace room is defined as a room used primarily for a furnace. Clearly a whole basement of a house doesn't fit that.
The other thing that could apply would be the 10ft rule, that a return can't be closer than 10ft to a gas appliance. But it says that only applies if the return is the only return, so that's out.
So, I think what he did is OK.
Hi, Not in all the cases. Our basement is also plumbed same as main floor and upstairs. When house was built extra high ceiling basement was finished like any room ustairs. Basement is as comfy as any room upstairs with lots of sun coming in. We use it as recording studio.
Hi, Simple law of physics.
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