Discovered today with standard AC check that the house we recently purchased has fake cold air returns. Vents are there (high on walls) but at floor level they are sealed shut with wood. Wondering if this has happened to anyone else and if inspection/old owners should have discovered/disclosed information. Essentially, the second floor of our house has no AC. No issue with first floor/basement.
Thanks

On Wed, 4 Jun 2014 14:08:38 -0700 (PDT), wrote:

Discovered today with standard AC check that the house we recently purchased has fake cold air returns. Vents are there (high on walls) but at floor level they are sealed shut with wood. Wondering if this has happened to anyone else and if inspection/old owners should have discovered/disclosed information. Essentially, the second floor of our house has no AC. No issue with first floor/basement.
Thanks

Is the stairwell open?. If so, stairwell acts as the return.

Are your supply vents upstairs real?


When you look at the furnace, is there an intake duct going up to the
2nd floor? My second floor intake (aslo called "return") vent is
right above my basement return vent, so it's easy to look at the furnace
and see the duct going through the wall to the basement family room, and
just before it gets to the wall, it merges with a a duct going up (to
the second floor). If there WAS a duct, maybe they had a reason for
closing it, a r eason that can be solved and the duct reopened.

Is it hot on the second floor? Are all the vents open? Maybe close
one or two on the first floor or basement, to increase air pressure to
the second floor, but I don't think that will be necessary if the
stairwell is avaliable.

On 6/4/2014 5:08 PM, wrote:
Discovered today with standard AC check that
the house we recently purchased has fake cold air
returns. Vents are there (high on walls) but at
floor level they are sealed shut with wood.
Wondering if this has happened to anyone else
and if inspection/old owners should have discovered/
disclosed information. Essentially, the second floor
of our house has no AC. No issue with first floor/
basement.
Thanks

I found some thing similar with a cold air return
in the floor of a house. The furnace didn't heat
the house, and kept shutting down. Took me a while
to figure out why. Someone floored over the return,
and took the grille out. Those RA grilles are
expensive. No idea why someone did that.

--
..
Christopher A. Young
Learn about Jesus
www.lds.org
..

Have you used a candle or some smoke source to be sure no air is going into the return registers?

Did you have a home inspection before you purchased the home?

wrote:
Discovered today with standard AC check that the house we recently
purchased has fake cold air returns. Vents are there (high on walls) but
at floor level they are sealed shut with wood. Wondering if this has
happened to anyone else and if inspection/old owners should have
discovered/disclosed information. Essentially, the second floor of our
house has no AC. No issue with first floor/basement.
Thanks

I bought house with floors had wal to wall carpeting over floor returns.

Greg

On Wed, 4 Jun 2014 14:08:38 -0700 (PDT), wrote:

Discovered today with standard AC check that the house we recently purchased has fake cold air returns. Vents are there (high on walls) but at floor level they are sealed shut with wood. Wondering if this has happened to anyone else and if inspection/old owners should have discovered/disclosed information. Essentially, the second floor of our house has no AC. No issue with first floor/basement.
Thanks

You don't make a lot of sense. You say the vents are high on the
wall, yet blocked at the floor. Return vents are never high on the
wall. I have to wonder if you know what you are looking at or just
doing a poor job of explaining.

On Thu, 05 Jun 2014 06:12:10 -0400, Ed Pawlowski wrote:

On Wed, 4 Jun 2014 14:08:38 -0700 (PDT), wrote:

Return vents are never high on the wall.
Hi Ed,
Return vents for AC are often high on the wall. My house has vents
both high and low in each room. The lower vent can be closed. In the
winter, the lower vent is open providing a traditional cold air
return. In the summer, the lower vent is closed thereby providing a
high up hot air return for AC operation.
Pat

Ed Pawlowski wrote:

On Wed, 4 Jun 2014 14:08:38 -0700 (PDT), wrote:

Discovered today with standard AC check that the house we recently purchased has fake cold air returns. Vents are there (high on walls) but at floor level they are sealed shut with wood. Wondering if this has happened to anyone else and if inspection/old owners should have discovered/disclosed information. Essentially, the second floor of our house has no AC. No issue with first floor/basement.
Thanks

You don't make a lot of sense. You say the vents are high on the
wall, yet blocked at the floor. Return vents are never high on the
wall. I have to wonder if you know what you are looking at or just
doing a poor job of explaining.

Return vents are often ceiling mounted here in southern climates. Low
placed returns are a northern basement thing.

Ed Pawlowski writes:
On Wed, 4 Jun 2014 14:08:38 -0700 (PDT), wrote:

Discovered today with standard AC check that the house we recently purchased has fake cold air returns. Vents are there (high on walls) but at floor level they are sealed shut with wood. Wondering if this has happened to anyone else and if inspection/old owners should have discovered/disclosed information. Essentially, the second floor of our house has no AC. No issue with first floor/basement.
Thanks

You don't make a lot of sense. You say the vents are high on the
wall, yet blocked at the floor. Return vents are never high on the
wall. I have to wonder if you know what you are looking at or just
doing a poor job of explaining.

_Never_ is pretty absolute. I've seen houses that used the wall
cavity as a return ductwork with a vent high on the wall. The
base of the cavity had a cutout to the basement which was itself
the return "ductwork" for the furnace. Supply vents were in the
floor, usually under the external wall window openings. Built
in the 70's, midwest.

Sounds like someone plugged the opening at the bottom of the
cavity in the OP's case.

On Thu, 05 Jun 2014 14:19:32 GMT, (Scott Lurndal)
wrote:

Ed Pawlowski writes:
On Wed, 4 Jun 2014 14:08:38 -0700 (PDT), wrote:

Discovered today with standard AC check that the house we recently purchased has fake cold air returns. Vents are there (high on walls) but at floor level they are sealed shut with wood. Wondering if this has happened to anyone else and if inspection/old owners should have discovered/disclosed information. Essentially, the second floor of our house has no AC. No issue with first floor/basement.
Thanks

You don't make a lot of sense. You say the vents are high on the
wall, yet blocked at the floor. Return vents are never high on the
wall. I have to wonder if you know what you are looking at or just
doing a poor job of explaining.

Good question. More details from OP would help.

Like the other 3, I have a return vent that is high on the wall, in the
open stairwell (no doors) . It's the only return vent. No separate
heat and AC ducts.

But I should have noticed what you say in the your second sentence,
vents are high, blocked at floor. Different ducts?

_Never_ is pretty absolute. I've seen houses that used the wall
cavity as a return ductwork with a vent high on the wall. The
base of the cavity had a cutout to the basement which was itself
the return "ductwork" for the furnace. Supply vents were in the
floor, usually under the external wall window openings. Built
in the 70's, midwest.

Sounds like someone plugged the opening at the bottom of the
cavity in the OP's case.

On Thursday, June 5, 2014 10:19:32 AM UTC-4, Scott Lurndal wrote:
Ed Pawlowski writes:

On Wed, 4 Jun 2014 14:08:38 -0700 (PDT), wrote:



Discovered today with standard AC check that the house we recently purchased has fake cold air returns. Vents are there (high on walls) but at floor level they are sealed shut with wood. Wondering if this has happened to anyone else and if inspection/old owners should have discovered/disclosed information. Essentially, the second floor of our house has no AC. No issue with first floor/basement.

Thanks



You don't make a lot of sense. You say the vents are high on the

wall, yet blocked at the floor. Return vents are never high on the

wall. I have to wonder if you know what you are looking at or just

doing a poor job of explaining.



_Never_ is pretty absolute. I've seen houses that used the wall

cavity as a return ductwork with a vent high on the wall.

They are not only common, but standard in houses that are outfitted
with central AC when built. The houses that don't have them up high are
typically ones that were heating only, eg old houses.




The

base of the cavity had a cutout to the basement which was itself

the return "ductwork" for the furnace. Supply vents were in the

floor, usually under the external wall window openings. Built

in the 70's, midwest.



Sounds like someone plugged the opening at the bottom of the

cavity in the OP's case.

More likely the cavity was never cut, I'd bet. He could check what's
beneath and see if a return duct is there. If so, he could cut out
the opening. And even if it's not, it could still be done, it would
just require some additional duct work.

trader_4 writes:
On Thursday, June 5, 2014 10:19:32 AM UTC-4, Scott Lurndal wrote:
Ed Pawlowski writes:
=20
On Wed, 4 Jun 2014 14:08:38 -0700 (PDT), wrote:
=20

=20
Discovered today with standard AC check that the house we recently purc=
hased has fake cold air returns. Vents are there (high on walls) but at flo=
or level they are sealed shut with wood. Wondering if this has happened to =
anyone else and if inspection/old owners should have discovered/disclosed i=
nformation. Essentially, the second floor of our house has no AC. No issue =
with first floor/basement.=20
=20
Thanks
=20

=20
You don't make a lot of sense. You say the vents are high on the
=20
wall, yet blocked at the floor. Return vents are never high on the
=20
wall. I have to wonder if you know what you are looking at or just
=20
doing a poor job of explaining.
=20
=20
=20
_Never_ is pretty absolute. I've seen houses that used the wall
=20
cavity as a return ductwork with a vent high on the wall.=20

They are not only common, but standard in houses that are outfitted
with central AC when built. The houses that don't have them up high are
typically ones that were heating only, eg old houses.




The
=20
base of the cavity had a cutout to the basement which was itself
=20
the return "ductwork" for the furnace. Supply vents were in the
=20
floor, usually under the external wall window openings. Built
=20
in the 70's, midwest.
=20
=20
=20
Sounds like someone plugged the opening at the bottom of the
=20
cavity in the OP's case.

More likely the cavity was never cut, I'd bet. He could check what's
beneath and see if a return duct is there. If so, he could cut out
the opening. And even if it's not, it could still be done, it would
just require some additional duct work.

Perhaps I wasn't clear enough. There was no ductwork, the entire
basement was the "duct". There was just an opening through the
floor at the base of the wall cavity, and a vent high on the wall.

The air handler unit had the filter and just pulled air from the
basement.

On Thursday, June 5, 2014 1:31:15 PM UTC-4, Scott Lurndal wrote:
trader_4 writes:

On Thursday, June 5, 2014 10:19:32 AM UTC-4, Scott Lurndal wrote:

Ed Pawlowski writes:

=20

On Wed, 4 Jun 2014 14:08:38 -0700 (PDT), wrote:

=20



=20

Discovered today with standard AC check that the house we recently purc=

hased has fake cold air returns. Vents are there (high on walls) but at flo=

or level they are sealed shut with wood. Wondering if this has happened to =

anyone else and if inspection/old owners should have discovered/disclosed i=

nformation. Essentially, the second floor of our house has no AC. No issue =

with first floor/basement.=20

=20

Thanks

=20



=20

You don't make a lot of sense. You say the vents are high on the

=20

wall, yet blocked at the floor. Return vents are never high on the

=20

wall. I have to wonder if you know what you are looking at or just

=20

doing a poor job of explaining.

=20

=20

=20

_Never_ is pretty absolute. I've seen houses that used the wall

=20

cavity as a return ductwork with a vent high on the wall.=20



They are not only common, but standard in houses that are outfitted

with central AC when built. The houses that don't have them up high are

typically ones that were heating only, eg old houses.









The

=20

base of the cavity had a cutout to the basement which was itself

=20

the return "ductwork" for the furnace. Supply vents were in the

=20

floor, usually under the external wall window openings. Built

=20

in the 70's, midwest.

=20

=20

=20

Sounds like someone plugged the opening at the bottom of the

=20

cavity in the OP's case.



More likely the cavity was never cut, I'd bet. He could check what's

beneath and see if a return duct is there. If so, he could cut out

the opening. And even if it's not, it could still be done, it would

just require some additional duct work.



Perhaps I wasn't clear enough. There was no ductwork, the entire

basement was the "duct". There was just an opening through the

floor at the base of the wall cavity, and a vent high on the wall.



The air handler unit had the filter and just pulled air from the

basement.

Good grief. I've never seen anything like that. I hope the basement
is finished, insulated and has HVAC? Otherwise to just use an unfinished
basement for the return for the upstairs conditioned space is an
energy waste. Even with finished basements, all the ones I've seen
there was a standard return air duct system.

And with what you have there, is it correct that there aren't even
any return vents from upstairs that connect to the open basement? If that's
the case, you have a very bad situation. You're creating a vacuum in the
basement, which will pull air from outside into the house, via any
means. That would include creating negative pressure for any WHs
or furnaces that don't have their own separate air intake going outside.
And it will pressurize the upstairs, driving conditioned air out
through leaks around windows, outlets, doors, etc. Very bad from an
energy loss standpoint and potentially dangerous from a CO standpoint too.

Was this inspected by a home inspector prior to purchase? He say
anything?

On Thu, 05 Jun 2014 17:31:15 GMT, (Scott Lurndal)
wrote:

trader_4 writes:
On Thursday, June 5, 2014 10:19:32 AM UTC-4, Scott Lurndal wrote:
Ed Pawlowski writes:
=20
On Wed, 4 Jun 2014 14:08:38 -0700 (PDT), wrote:
=20

=20
Discovered today with standard AC check that the house we recently purc=
hased has fake cold air returns. Vents are there (high on walls) but at flo=
or level they are sealed shut with wood. Wondering if this has happened to =
anyone else and if inspection/old owners should have discovered/disclosed i=
nformation. Essentially, the second floor of our house has no AC. No issue =
with first floor/basement.=20
=20
Thanks
=20

=20
You don't make a lot of sense. You say the vents are high on the
=20
wall, yet blocked at the floor. Return vents are never high on the
=20
wall. I have to wonder if you know what you are looking at or just
=20
doing a poor job of explaining.
=20
=20
=20
_Never_ is pretty absolute. I've seen houses that used the wall
=20
cavity as a return ductwork with a vent high on the wall.=20

They are not only common, but standard in houses that are outfitted
with central AC when built. The houses that don't have them up high are
typically ones that were heating only, eg old houses.




The
=20
base of the cavity had a cutout to the basement which was itself
=20
the return "ductwork" for the furnace. Supply vents were in the
=20
floor, usually under the external wall window openings. Built
=20
in the 70's, midwest.
=20
=20
=20
Sounds like someone plugged the opening at the bottom of the
=20
cavity in the OP's case.

More likely the cavity was never cut, I'd bet. He could check what's
beneath and see if a return duct is there. If so, he could cut out
the opening. And even if it's not, it could still be done, it would
just require some additional duct work.

Perhaps I wasn't clear enough. There was no ductwork, the entire

I think you were clear.

basement was the "duct". There was just an opening through the
floor at the base of the wall cavity, and a vent high on the wall.

The air handler unit had the filter and just pulled air from the
basement.

But that's all you. Trader was talking about the OP. So were you at
the end of your post.

Scott Lurnda.

Perhaps I wasn't clear enough. There was no ductwork, the entire
basement was the "duct". There was just an opening through the
floor at the base of the wall cavity, and a vent high on the wall.

The air handler unit had the filter and just pulled air from the
basement.

Hi,
How did that pass the inspection? The house was built w/o proper
building permit?

On Wednesday, June 4, 2014 5:08:38 PM UTC-4, wrote:
Discovered today with standard AC check that the house we recently purchased has fake cold air returns. Vents are there (high on walls) but at floor level they are sealed shut with wood. Wondering if this has happened to anyone else and if inspection/old owners should have discovered/disclosed information. Essentially, the second floor of our house has no AC. No issue with first floor/basement.

Thanks

Is it possible that the heating/cooling system has been replace and reconfigured at some point in the history of the house? Like a second system was installed in the attic. Is it an old house? That might explain it.

On Thursday, June 5, 2014 1:41:49 PM UTC-4, micky wrote:
On Thu, 05 Jun 2014 17:31:15 GMT, (Scott Lurndal)

wrote:



trader_4 writes:

On Thursday, June 5, 2014 10:19:32 AM UTC-4, Scott Lurndal wrote:

Ed Pawlowski writes:

=20

On Wed, 4 Jun 2014 14:08:38 -0700 (PDT), wrote:

=20



=20

Discovered today with standard AC check that the house we recently purc=

hased has fake cold air returns. Vents are there (high on walls) but at flo=

or level they are sealed shut with wood. Wondering if this has happened to =

anyone else and if inspection/old owners should have discovered/disclosed i=

nformation. Essentially, the second floor of our house has no AC. No issue =

with first floor/basement.=20

=20

Thanks

=20



=20

You don't make a lot of sense. You say the vents are high on the

=20

wall, yet blocked at the floor. Return vents are never high on the

=20

wall. I have to wonder if you know what you are looking at or just

=20

doing a poor job of explaining.

=20

=20

=20

_Never_ is pretty absolute. I've seen houses that used the wall

=20

cavity as a return ductwork with a vent high on the wall.=20



They are not only common, but standard in houses that are outfitted

with central AC when built. The houses that don't have them up high are

typically ones that were heating only, eg old houses.









The

=20

base of the cavity had a cutout to the basement which was itself

=20

the return "ductwork" for the furnace. Supply vents were in the

=20

floor, usually under the external wall window openings. Built

=20

in the 70's, midwest.

=20

=20

=20

Sounds like someone plugged the opening at the bottom of the

=20

cavity in the OP's case.



More likely the cavity was never cut, I'd bet. He could check what's

beneath and see if a return duct is there. If so, he could cut out

the opening. And even if it's not, it could still be done, it would

just require some additional duct work.



Perhaps I wasn't clear enough. There was no ductwork, the entire



I think you were clear.



basement was the "duct". There was just an opening through the

floor at the base of the wall cavity, and a vent high on the wall.



The air handler unit had the filter and just pulled air from the

basement.



But that's all you. Trader was talking about the OP. So were you at

the end of your post.

Thanks for pointing that out. I thought I was replying to/talking
about the OP's problem. But the comments were still correct for
anyone that has a furnace with no return ducting, just pulling air
from the basement.

trader_4 writes:
On Thursday, June 5, 2014 1:31:15 PM UTC-4, Scott Lurndal wrote:
trader_4 writes:





Perhaps I wasn't clear enough. There was no ductwork, the entire

basement was the "duct". There was just an opening through the

floor at the base of the wall cavity, and a vent high on the wall.



The air handler unit had the filter and just pulled air from the

basement.

Good grief. I've never seen anything like that. I hope the basement
is finished, insulated and has HVAC? Otherwise to just use an unfinished
basement for the return for the upstairs conditioned space is an
energy waste. Even with finished basements, all the ones I've seen
there was a standard return air duct system.

It was finished, the house was on a slope and once side of the
basement opened out onto the yard.

Every room had a high wall return open to the basement, with floor vents
on the supply side.


And with what you have there, is it correct that there aren't even
any return vents from upstairs that connect to the open basement?

Either my description was lacking something, or your reading comprehension
is off today - the return vents that we started the conversation about
were connected to the open basement.

It was a new build, and installed by a reputable HVAC contractor. Remember
this was in the early 70's (1974, I believe) just before energy costs went
through the roof.

The house burned in 2001, and the rebuild still uses the finished living
spaces on the ground floor as a return.

On Thursday, June 5, 2014 1:31:15 PM UTC-4, Scott Lurndal wrote:
Perhaps I wasn't clear enough. There was no ductwork, the entire

basement was the "duct". There was just an opening through the

floor at the base of the wall cavity, and a vent high on the wall.



The air handler unit had the filter and just pulled air from the

basement.

I've never seen that in residential but it was common in commercial at one time. Often outside air and return air mixed in the same space and was drawn into the air handler. It was impossible to really control outside air ventilation but the systems worked.

Your setup is not that different from a plenum return, albeit a large plenum.

Tony Hwang wrote:

Scott Lurnda.

Perhaps I wasn't clear enough. There was no ductwork, the entire
basement was the "duct". There was just an opening through the
floor at the base of the wall cavity, and a vent high on the wall.

The air handler unit had the filter and just pulled air from the
basement.

Hi,
How did that pass the inspection? The house was built w/o proper
building permit?

Why would it not pass inspection? Ensuring fresh air circulation in the
basement isn't a bad idea after all. Also not every place and time is
subject to code nazis and people aren't dying as a result of lack of
code nazis either.

On Thursday, June 5, 2014 3:37:55 PM UTC-4, Pete C. wrote:
.. Also not every place and time is

subject to code nazis and people aren't dying as a result of lack of

code nazis either.

Code is not the best you can build. It is the WORST you are allowed to get away with.

On Thursday, June 5, 2014 3:37:55 PM UTC-4, Pete C. wrote:
Tony Hwang wrote:



Scott Lurnda.



Perhaps I wasn't clear enough. There was no ductwork, the entire

basement was the "duct". There was just an opening through the

floor at the base of the wall cavity, and a vent high on the wall.



The air handler unit had the filter and just pulled air from the

basement.



Hi,

How did that pass the inspection? The house was built w/o proper

building permit?



Why would it not pass inspection? Ensuring fresh air circulation in the

basement isn't a bad idea after all. Also not every place and time is

subject to code nazis and people aren't dying as a result of lack of

code nazis either.

Pulling all the air from the basement, right at the furnace would create
low pressure, possibly pulling combustion gases from the furnace,
WH, etc could be one good reason for it to not pass.

Pete C. wrote:

Tony Hwang wrote:

Scott Lurnda.

Perhaps I wasn't clear enough. There was no ductwork, the entire
basement was the "duct". There was just an opening through the
floor at the base of the wall cavity, and a vent high on the wall.

The air handler unit had the filter and just pulled air from the
basement.

Hi,
How did that pass the inspection? The house was built w/o proper
building permit?

Why would it not pass inspection? Ensuring fresh air circulation in the
basement isn't a bad idea after all. Also not every place and time is
subject to code nazis and people aren't dying as a result of lack of
code nazis either.

Hmmm,
What in the world Nazi has any thing to do with local building code?

On Friday, June 6, 2014 10:35:09 AM UTC-4, Tony Hwang wrote:
Pete C. wrote:



Tony Hwang wrote:



Scott Lurnda.



Perhaps I wasn't clear enough. There was no ductwork, the entire

basement was the "duct". There was just an opening through the

floor at the base of the wall cavity, and a vent high on the wall.



The air handler unit had the filter and just pulled air from the

basement.



Hi,

How did that pass the inspection? The house was built w/o proper

building permit?



Why would it not pass inspection? Ensuring fresh air circulation in the

basement isn't a bad idea after all. Also not every place and time is

subject to code nazis and people aren't dying as a result of lack of

code nazis either.



Hmmm,

What in the world Nazi has any thing to do with local building code?

A "code nazi" or an "xyz nazi" is just a reference to someone who is
overy rigerous and strict with enforcing rules, ways of doing things, etc.

Tony Hwang wrote:

Pete C. wrote:

Tony Hwang wrote:

Scott Lurnda.

Perhaps I wasn't clear enough. There was no ductwork, the entire
basement was the "duct". There was just an opening through the
floor at the base of the wall cavity, and a vent high on the wall.

The air handler unit had the filter and just pulled air from the
basement.

Hi,
How did that pass the inspection? The house was built w/o proper
building permit?

Why would it not pass inspection? Ensuring fresh air circulation in the
basement isn't a bad idea after all. Also not every place and time is
subject to code nazis and people aren't dying as a result of lack of
code nazis either.

Hmmm,
What in the world Nazi has any thing to do with local building code?

Have you ever dealt with one of the code nazis? If you have you would
know exactly what they have to do with it. I'm very happy I live in an
area where I don't have such intrusions.

wrote:
Discovered today with standard AC check that the house we recently purchased has fake cold air returns. Vents are there (high on walls) but at floor level they are sealed shut with wood. Wondering if this has happened to anyone else and if inspection/old owners should have discovered/disclosed information. Essentially, the second floor of our house has no AC. No issue with first floor/basement.
Thanks

My sister's relatively new house had vents near the ceiling, and vents
near the floor. They also had a plastic cover, one cover for every pair
of vents. In the summer, they covered the lower vents and warm air
from near the ceiling was drawn into the vents. In the winter, they
covered the upper vents, and the lower vents worked like the typical
cold air return. I never looked at the ducting, but in houses I have
looked at, the returns just dump the air into the basement, where it is
heated or cooled, depending on the season.

I just had a new system installed, and asked about the cold air returns,
which is all I have and are ducted to about a foot from the basement
floor. The installer said they could be cut off a bit higher, but he
didn't think it would make a lot of difference. When we bought this
house the wood floors were covered with wall to wall carpet. When I got
around to removing that to refinish the floors, I found a 2 foot by 2
foot hole, which had been filled with plywood. There are a couple of
ducts crossing the hole, so I can't duct it to the basement floor as an
extra cold air return. I put a nice cast iron grill in the hole for
aesthetics, and to keep me from falling through the hole. I'm curious
how the hole came to be there. Perhaps the original coal burning
furnace was under there, and the house was reducted when they switched
to gas.

On 6/5/2014 9:23 AM, Pete C. wrote:

Ed Pawlowski wrote:
wall, yet blocked at the floor. Return vents are never high on the
wall. I have to wonder if you know what you are looking at or just
doing a poor job of explaining.

Return vents are often ceiling mounted here in southern climates. Low
placed returns are a northern basement thing.


And what about the southern hemisphere? Do return
air vents circle to the left?


--
..
Christopher A. Young
Learn about Jesus
www.lds.org
..

Pete C. wrote:

Tony Hwang wrote:

Pete C. wrote:

Tony Hwang wrote:

Scott Lurnda.

Perhaps I wasn't clear enough. There was no ductwork, the entire
basement was the "duct". There was just an opening through the
floor at the base of the wall cavity, and a vent high on the wall.

The air handler unit had the filter and just pulled air from the
basement.

Hi,
How did that pass the inspection? The house was built w/o proper
building permit?

Why would it not pass inspection? Ensuring fresh air circulation in the
basement isn't a bad idea after all. Also not every place and time is
subject to code nazis and people aren't dying as a result of lack of
code nazis either.

Hmmm,
What in the world Nazi has any thing to do with local building code?

Have you ever dealt with one of the code nazis? If you have you would
know exactly what they have to do with it. I'm very happy I live in an
area where I don't have such intrusions.

Hi,
Never had problem with inspectors. Friendly bunch.

On Friday, June 6, 2014 5:10:07 PM UTC-4, Not@home wrote:
wrote:

Discovered today with standard AC check that the house we recently purchased has fake cold air returns. Vents are there (high on walls) but at floor level they are sealed shut with wood. Wondering if this has happened to anyone else and if inspection/old owners should have discovered/disclosed information. Essentially, the second floor of our house has no AC. No issue with first floor/basement.

Thanks



My sister's relatively new house had vents near the ceiling, and vents

near the floor. They also had a plastic cover, one cover for every pair

of vents. In the summer, they covered the lower vents and warm air

from near the ceiling was drawn into the vents. In the winter, they

covered the upper vents, and the lower vents worked like the typical

cold air return. I never looked at the ducting, but in houses I have

looked at, the returns just dump the air into the basement, where it is

heated or cooled, depending on the season.



This is without regard to whether the basement is finished living space
or not? If it's an uninsulated, unfinished basement, this would seem
to be a significant source of energy waste. NYC area here and my basement
is 55 in winter and I don't want to be paying to heat it. This must be
a regional thing, because I've never seen it here.

On Fri, 6 Jun 2014 08:30:23 -0700 (PDT), trader_4
wrote:


A "code nazi" or an "xyz nazi" is just a reference to someone who is
overy rigerous and strict with enforcing rules, ways of doing things, etc.

Saw an inspector not sign off on an electrical inspection. The lube
used to pull the wire was the "wrong color". Details of the product
had to be submitted for review, before he signed off. He was a real
PIA for my friend, that was the "super" on that job. The same
inspector was the same on a few other jobs on new construction. Seemed
to lack common sense.

On Thu, 05 Jun 2014 14:37:55 -0500, "Pete C."
wrote:


. Also not every place and time is
subject to code nazis and people aren't dying as a result of lack of
code nazis either.

Three of my grandparents and 18 of my granduncles, grandaunts, uncles,
aunts, and cousins were starved and murdered by the nazis.

I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't use the word nazi so lightly, and
save it for murderers.

It also leads to other people quoting what you said. I'd appreciate
if those who replied to this post would in the future snip parts like
what I quoted above.

Seinfeld is funny most of the time, but other times he has the
sensitivity of a lump of dirt.

On 6/7/2014 8:37 PM, wrote:

Three of my grandparents and 18 of my granduncles, grandaunts, uncles,
aunts, and cousins were starved and murdered by the nazis.

I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't use the word nazi so lightly, and
save it for murderers.

Sorry to hear that. Those that study history would agree. On Memorial
Day, the History Channel started a 6 hour series on WWII and events
leading up to it. I'm halfway through and find it interesting. It will
repeat if missed and younger people should see what our past was like in
hopes of not repeating it

On Sun, 08 Jun 2014 08:22:39 -0400, Ed Pawlowski wrote:

On 6/7/2014 8:37 PM, wrote:

Three of my grandparents and 18 of my granduncles, grandaunts, uncles,
aunts, and cousins were starved and murdered by the nazis.

I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't use the word nazi so lightly, and
save it for murderers.

Sorry to hear that. Those that study history would agree. On Memorial
Day, the History Channel started a 6 hour series on WWII and events
leading up to it. I'm halfway through and find it interesting. It will
repeat if missed and younger people should see what our past was like in
hopes of not repeating it

A news report the other day said a 91 year-old man slipped out of his
nursing home in the UK. They searched for him for 12 hours, only to
find out he had went to Normandy for the Memorial

Another 91 year-old man that served in the US 101 ST Airborne
(Screaming Eagles) made an assisted parachute jump at the same place
he jumped 70 years ago under intense fire. The Greatest Generation!!

Canada doesn't the often credit they deserve at Normandy, they took
heavy casualties, too.