What Are HVAC Returns?

It's easy to spot the various vents around your home, some big, some small. Which ones are supply air vents, and which ones are HVAC returns? And does it matter?

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What Is an HVAC Return Vent?

A return air vent is the ductwork that takes air from your home back to your HVAC system. It's an important part of the circulation that happens in your heating and cooling system.

What Is the Purpose of the Return Air Vent?

The purpose of a return air vent is to return the air to the central heating and cooling unit, where it can be filtered and sent back into your home. Working with the supply vents, the return vents keep air moving in a loop, from the central unit through the ductwork to your rooms and back to the central unit.

A standard HVAC system works through a network of ducts that lead to all the rooms in your home. You might see the ductwork in exposed areas near your furnace, but they're mostly hidden behind walls and ceilings. The part of the ductwork system you see is the vents throughout your home. You'll find them in every room.

When your central heating and cooling system treats the air, it pushes it out through the ductwork and out the supply vents. Meanwhile, the system pulls air back to the central unit through the return vents. It goes through the air filter, back through the main unit and through the ductwork to go out through the supply vents.

Where Should Return Vents Be Located?

You typically find return vents in central common areas of your home, such as your living room or family room. Some homes include a return duct in most rooms, including bedrooms. Having cold air return vents in every room can help improve the flow of air through the system and give you better temperature control throughout the house.

Placement within the room can vary. You may see them near the floor or ceiling, depending on the layout of the ductwork in the home. They're typically located on the opposite side of the room from the supply vents to help the air circulate. If they're near the supply vents, the return vents will simply pull the freshly heated or cooled air right back into the system. It's common for supply vents to be near windows to help combat the hot or cold air that can seep in through the windows. That means you'll likely find the furnace or AC unit return air vent on a wall without windows.

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What Does a Return Air Vent Look Like?

The return vent size is a major indicator that makes it easier to identify. An AC or furnace return vent is usually significantly larger than the supply vent. Both look like grills with metal slats and a frame around the outer edge.

In addition to the size difference, another common difference is the presence of louvers. Supply vents typically have louvers just under the grate with a lever to the side. This allows you to open or close the vents easily if you want to control the airflow in the room. An HVAC return doesn't generally have any louvers inside it. The vents are always open to ensure the air flows back to the main system.

If you're still not sure if you're looking at a return or a supply vent, grab a piece of paper while your system is running. Hold the paper up to the grate. If it's a return vent, it should suck the paper against the grate because it's sucking air into the ductwork. You also won't feel air blowing out of it if you put your hand up to it. A supply vent will blow the paper away, and you can feel air blowing out of it when the system is actively running.