HVAC register locations

[reicherb]

I'm having a new HVAC (actually only heat for now) installed and I'm questioning the register locations. I'm in Michigan so it's primary a heating climate. The contractor wants to install supply ducts low on the walls and return ducts high on the walls. My family says they all should be in the floors. I have no clue. Can someone clue me in?

Thanks.

 

[Electric Amish]

I would think they should all be low. AFAIK, you'd want the the returns to be pulling in cooler air, which is lower to the ground since hot air rises.

 

[reicherb]

That was my initial thought but the contractor said it was better to have them at different levels.

 

[reicherb]

^

 

[Mark R]

If you supply hot air at a high level, it will stay at the top of the room, releasing its heat to the ceiling, and then slowly descending to the living level. You need to destratify the air - the simplest way is to reverse the positions of the ducts

Supplying the hot air at floor level, provides it at the level of the occupants. This means that average temperature of the room can be lower because the bottom is heated.

Placing the returns low means that they pull in cold air, whereas placing them high pulls in warm air. The latter means that less energy is needed to heat the air to a comfortable temperature.

 

[reicherb]

What about placing the returns high?

 

[reicherb]

^

 

[reicherb]

^