Warm Air Return

Rookie_3

I was in a one bedroom condo on the second floor. There is a balcony with a closet on one side against the bedroom wall
that houses a gas/AC split unit. The supply is high coming into an overhang in the ceiling and the return is about 4" off the floor below it. Problem is when the heat is not running if you were to tape tissue on the return it would blow straight out with very cold air. When the heat is on it
is pulling a pretty good vac.. The closet is sealed up and insulated pretty good or as best as it can be. Any ideas short of putting a louver in the door to the outside. Would that not create a air circulation problem inside? Any damper type control that can be interlocked into the systems return vent? Any thoughts would be appreciated.

ROOKIE

don_81

thats whats

call a stack effect.And most likely it because the cabinet
door of the furnace and electrical connection dont have a good seal.
Also possibility of leaks in the ductwork.

Temperture difference,winds blowing on that side of the envelope,and even exhaust fans could be adding to this problem.

Made not want to do anything at all with it,it could be a blessing depending on how tight the rest of the condo is.

Rookie_3

Stack effect

Sounds pretty close to me Don, the condo seems very tight.
Temp change is putting it mildly. We had snow melting like crazy in the afternoon and then that evening white out conditions with strong winds and very low temps.. There is also an rooftop unit heating the common area and the return is close to this condo. Adding to that, they said this corner of the building takes a beating from the weather. I do oil and don't usually touch the gas calls but more or less stopped by to see if it was a quick fix for the lady because she is elderly and was feeling the cold.
Thanks for the input..............ROOKIE

Rich Kontny_2

Now you

never mention age of the ho,that another issue all together
Old people are always cold.LOL!

Rookie_3

Your right, elderly H/O's are always cold, now put a 20* draft 4' from their bed. Thats why I ended up there, I hated to leave without correcting it. Put the age aside and figure what that draft is costing in wasted heat Huh?
poor engineering at it's best!!

ROOKIE