Thread: Secondary return grill location in laundry room.

Contractor installed a new return/grill instead of enlarging existing one.... only problem is that the other 'side-wall' of the return plenum (under the platform of an upright furnace) is the laundry room wall.

There are major concerns regarding it's placement within 12" of the laundry vent and the gas line hookup and the fact that the laundry room door is most always closed.

The room has noticeable heat/moisture presence when the door is closed and the dryer is running. Not to mention its directly next to the primary source of lint/dust in the house.

The additional grill is simply supplementary for the main return in the living room, so its not the primary source, however air is most definitely being pulled from this location.

http://www.inspectionnews.net/home_i...-location.html

Only thing I could find was the above link... does anyone have opinions on the matter?

I'm in the boat of moisture, gas, particulate problems galore.



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Alex,

If you have a copy of the 2006 IRC check M1602.2 for return air guidance. If I could figure out how to paste it here I would!

Originally Posted by Alex Corley

http://www.inspectionnews.net/home_i...-location.html

Only thing I could find was the above link... does anyone have opinions on the matter?

Pretty much everything needing to be discussed as to why that should not be there is in the thread you linked to, including the code which gives you the reasons discussed in that thread.

That is also a gas dryer that needs a bunch of makeup air. I forgot how much air a dryer sucks out of a home, I think that on the average is is around 200cf .per minute when they are on.
Might not be the correct number, but it is a bunch and it is increased with a gas unit.

Are we sure that is a return grill and not a grill that is covering up an access hole in the wall?

Originally Posted by Scott Patterson

Are we sure that is a return grill and not a grill that is covering up an access hole in the wall?

Scott,

Similar to my first thought, which was "Could that be combustion make-up air?", then I went back and re-read the original post, which stated:

Originally Posted by Alex Corley

Contractor installed a new return/grill instead of enlarging existing one.... only problem is that the other 'side-wall' of the return plenum (under the platform of an upright furnace) is the laundry room wall.

Which, to me, says that the return air is 'in that wall' and that there is a return grill 'on the living room side' and on the side shown, into the laundry room.

I may not be correctly reading and understanding what was written (would not be the first time for that), but that is what I got from it.

Hey you could disconnect the dyer vent and let the return pull all the exhuast into the home. It would be a perfect humidifier and make the house smell like snuggle. Well that is if it didn't burn down first.

The grill was a new install to allow more return air... it connects to the space at the bottom of the HVAC closet which is under the platform of the air handler and serves as the return plenum. It had an existing entry on the opposite wall in the living room, and instead of enlarging the existing one, a new one was added.

Will moving the grill higher up the wall via a telescoping wall duct be a sufficient solution?

In my mind, that would take care of the lint/fire concerns... but not humidity and combustible gas concerns.

And then there is still the code interpretations of 'outdoor and return air' and 'appliance vent' etc...

Move the vent, or plug it up and enlarge the existing one?

Remove the new vent, seal the opening, enlarge opening to living room and install a bigger grill there. Return air should only be pulled from living space or outdoors, not from a utility closet.

While you're at it, get a combo smoke detector CO detector/alarm mounted in the laundry room.

I would recommend having the dryer serviced immediately; looks like there is cause to believe there could be a great amount of lint within. Pitch that snake of a dryer vent connector, clean out the fixed venting and its termination (make sure it is at proper elevation and has no obstructions outside) and replace with a short run rigid dryer vent connector. No screws, use foil tape or zips to connect. While you're waiting for the dryer to be serviced wash the lint screen with some laundry detergent, rinse well and let dry before anyone runs another load. Clean up all that lint and replace gas connector - looks pinched too many times (should be replaced if the appliance has been moved multiple times anyway). Can't see a sed trap is it hidden by connector? What's the white line, power cord for the gas dryer pinched up between the snake of a vent connector?

Is there a window in the laundry room? an air-to-air exchanger? ventillation (intake) fan?