LESLIE: Dan in Michigan has a question about a ducting system. What can we do for you?
DAN: Yeah, how you doing? I’ve got a second basement with a garage in it – it’s like above-ground basement – and I have … the heat duct’s in the ceiling. And I just wondered is it all right to put cold duct returns in the wall toward … lower to the floor. Keep a little more air in there.
TOM: Well, yeah. I mean if you’re going to heat a space with a forced-air system, you can’t just put supply ducts in; you have to put return ducts in, too. I presume that the heated space is separated, by a wall, from the rest of the garage. Is that correct?
DAN: Yep, yep.
TOM: Yeah.
DAN: It’s one of those poly-steel (ph) basements.
TOM: What’s that?
DAN: A poly-steel (ph) basement; where it’s all concrete styrofoam walls.
TOM: Okay. Oh, it’s insulated concrete forms.
DAN: Yep, yep, yep.
TOM: Oh, that’s a great house. Yeah, that’s a great wall structure.
DAN: It maintains 60 degrees. I just want to put – if I have to – put cold ducts in there because it stays right at 60 degrees.
TOM: Yeah. What you should do is … you need both supply and return ducts. Most people don’t realize that, when you’re heating a house, it’s not just a matter of blowing the hot air out once. That air has to go into the space and it has to return back to the heating system to be heated again.
LESLIE: Well, it needs to circulate to keep it warm.
TOM: Yeah, to keep it warm. And, also, just to gradually bring the temperature to where you want it. It doesn’t happen in like one blast.
DAN: Uh-huh.
TOM: So, yes, you need supply and return ducts and should have those professionally installed so it’s done right. Okay?
DAN: Okay. Alright, thank you.
TOM: You’re welcome. Thanks so much for calling The Money Pit.
Leave a Reply