On 18 Jun, 18:33, HomerS wrote:
On Mon, 18 Jun 2007 07:35:09 -0700, DerbyDad03
wrote:

When the AC is being used, my basement tends to get about 5 degrees
cooler than the first floor. The basement is used for laundry, storage
and my workshop, so it doesn't need to be that cold.

Here's my idea: Cut a hole in my return trunk, near the floor, to
recapture the cooler air and send it back upstairs. I'd install a
filter and design it so it could be easily sealed up in the winter.

So, if this isn't a ridiculously bad idea, how would I go about
determining the correct size for the opening?

-- I like the idea.
--
-- Just provide both a supply and return to the basement and your
other
-- rooms should be cooler. By supply, I mean to allow the supply to
the
-- nearest room to enter the basement before being sucked back to the
-- evaporator.

This is an interesting response. Now that you mentioned this, I
realized that there is no cold air return in the basement other than
whatever gets sucked in via any openings the ductwork and the slot
around the filter. I haven't used a smoke puffer to check for leaks in
the system, but I assume there are many.

I have closed the 2 outlets in the basement, but now I'm wondering if
I should open them *and* cut a return opening in the return trunk.
Wouldn't this make the basement just like any other room that has a
supply and a return? Would this help to balance the system?