Need advice from any HVAC guys out there.

[007sevens]

I'm doing a reno on a early 70's house. 2x10 floor joists. In the new reno the equipment room is moved to the edge of the house. Still central located but on the side of the house. My first question is do I, will I need a return intake from upstairs or is a cold air return from outside the only fresh air needed. Second question is can I get more ceiling height somehow under the trunk. I will have a hallway all the way from one end of the basement to the other where the trunk is now. Im trying to hide the heating ducts as much as possible at the same time having as much ceiling height as possible in the hallway.

I should mention that the furnace and all the ducts are being replaced.

 

[Trashy]

1. I think that the cold air intake from outside should be good enough.
2. You can mount the plenum as close to the bottom of your floor joists as you can, you can use 1x4 or 25 gauge angle, to obtain a close ceiling finish. DO NOT screw into the plenum!!!
Hope this helps.

 

[hbar218]

You need a few return air grills from the main floor. The fresh air is just that , fresh air. You still need return air.

 

[ferniesnow]

You need a few return air grills from the main floor. The fresh air is just that , fresh air. You still need return air.

Yes.............^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

The fresh air is for combustion and the return air is what is circulating throughout the house. If you didn't have the return, the air within the house wouldn't be returned to the furnace, heated up and re-distributed. Like hbar says, "you still need return air."