Air Conditioner Return Vent Size : Does It Matter?

At SM Air, ensuring your home enjoys optimal air flow and comfort is our top priority. Leveraging our extensive experience since 1986, we specialize in evaluating and optimizing your HVAC system's return vents to maximize efficiency across all rooms. Our approach is tailored to match the unique needs of your home, aiming to enhance the system's capacity to its fullest potential. We believe in a comprehensive service that not only addresses immediate concerns but also anticipates future needs, ensuring your living space benefits from balanced, healthy air circulation.
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[SarahBehr-cb]

Where are you getting this multiply x2 from? 37x11 is good for 385 CFM. You don’t multiply that by 2. You need 200 CFM of return air per ton. That return is good for a 1.92 ton unit

[jwhite]

Are they the only returns for the house?
- If yes, then does that mean air from all the supply registers needs to flow back to that one point?
- If no, then with just large returns there, I'd think barely any air would be drawn from other returns.

If the constraints are you can't relocate the unit, or run ducted returns anywhere else, they yes, I'd say if there's not enough return air openings compared to supply, this will improve things. But a 4T unit, with potentially all the returns right at the unit - seems a very sub-optimal configuration.

[danaesq]

What size should an intake vent be for a 3 ton? Thanks

[juiceboxa]

Was this a flip or an addition that someone’s cousins buddy installed?

A four ton AC with that small return screams I don’t know what I’m doing.

[Moondoggy]

Maybe it is time to get some Spit units in that house to take the load off of the FAU. Putting a return in the closet is a really bad idea. What about doing a static test and a decibel test, my unit is super load in the family room you need the volume up on the TV to 23, now I have a Midea split unit and the TV is at 8, we now use the Midea 70% of the time. Summers here 95 to 115 low humidity.

[davidsimmons]

No returns in laundry room or a room where the door can be closed

[adrizzy]

Dude makes it sound so complicated
Its 200sq inches per ton
20x20=400 sq inches good for a 2 ton
4 ton 800sq inches 2 vents 16x25

[pelon]

there is no such thing as too much return

[CZDigger]

Does it matter? Yep. Get your ductulator out and find out why. 😂😂😂see these guys didn’t use a ductulator. Threw out all kind of numbers, “sounded” important didn’t it? Where’s the ductulator? 35 x 11, Plenty of existing opening for a 4 ton even with grille. Whats the FPM going through the grille, not cfm? What is static p design? Even at 1600 cfm, 750 fpm on the return air, that would be nice and quiet. Static would be .06. Everyone was guessing. Next time use a firm that has at minimum, a ductulator in someone’s hand.

[AaronPowellvox]

They keep saying you can’t have too much return. That is also wrong.

[AaronPowellvox]

Fire hazard! You can not/ should not ever put a return in a laundry room. Other than it being against national code it’s also dangerous because if a drier caught fire it would add fuel to the fire.

[Rado]

A return in the laundry room is a bad idea