I'm trying to remodel a closet and a wet bar upstairs, but I need to take out about 20 inches of the air return space to make it look good. I've been wondering if I could install some fans to push air into the AC system to offset the smaller volume of space. I've seen register fans, but those seem to focus on distributing conditioned air rather than feeding air into the system. I was thinking of having the fans turn on when the thermostat activates the AC, kind of like a turbocharger for the air return. But I'm not sure if this idea is feasible or if it's likely to end up being ineffective. Any insights on this?
2 Answers
Honestly, I doubt this setup will work effectively. If you add a fan to one air return, you might create positive pressure, which could mess up airflow from your other returns. Depending on the power of the fan you use compared to the furnace fan, it could even stop flow from those other returns altogether. Just something to keep in mind as you tinker with this.
I see your point. I only have one air return per AC unit, so I’ll be careful with how I set things up.
Reducing the inlet size will increase the air velocity but also create more noise. Also, the vacuum effect could drop the system’s efficiency significantly. Instead of rigging fans, have you thought about adding an extra makeup air return somewhere else? That might balance things out without the headaches.
Good point! Maybe adding a return vent elsewhere could help with airflow.
Thanks for that tip! I hadn’t thought about adding another return vent. I’ll definitely check into that.
Definitely a valid concern! It might unbalance the entire system, so proceed with caution.