Hello all. First post here, and as many have said before, I am glad I found this place!

I've got a very long run of ductwork in my basement, approximately 25 foot, from furnace to outside wall. I am planning on boxing this in, but before I do so I *think* I am going to tap into the return air duct and add a vent to the finished basement space (approx. 25' x 25'). Due to the configuration of the room and the location of the ducts it is almost impossible (without major reconstruction) to run a return air duct to any point on or near the floor. I have one option where I use a floor joist cavity to build a (leaky) duct, and run a 90* angle down to an as not yet built oversized boxed in support column, but the return air duct would be maybe 10" in size, which wouldn't seem to be sufficient.

That said, I can very easily cut a hole in the return air at the far end of the ductwork, up high (84"), and relocate the forced air/heat down the ductwork, away from the return air, still up high, but at minimum 20' away. Ideally I understand return air should be low, but is this acceptable in function, keeping the return air high?

Is there any "damage" to the overall HVAC system by adding this new hole in my return air in the basement space, as there is no existing basement return air today, with the exception of a what I believe is a return air vent attached to the furnace (always cool air coming in in the winter, warmer air in the summer).

Hope I asked this question correctly, and don't sound like too much of a newb.

Thanks guys.

Jim

bump

I can tell you that having a return air high is better than not having a return at all, but I can't picture what you're saying in my head. do you have a drawing or pics, etc. I'm sure you could get the R/A down low some how. There is always a way.

Old.