Where to install new floor register ?


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Old 10-22-16, 05:51 AM
J
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Where to install new floor register ?

The bedroom on the far end of our house is always noticeably colder than all the other rooms. It is over a crawlspace and has 3 outside walls (2 to the outside and 1 to the unheated garage). It only has one floor register and my plan is to add another one - it would be very easy. My question is, where should I add it? I have read that floor registers should be under windows and the reasoning behind it, and for the most, that is true throughout my house. The one floor register that is in there is on one of the outside walls but not directly under a window. It would be very easy to put another floor register on the opposite wall (garage wall). My other option would be to put it on the other outside wall under a window, but it would be directly under the bed in there so I am thinking that isnt the best spot.

Thoughts? Will putting it on the garage wall be fine? Or do I need to put it on the outside wall under the window even though it will be under a bed?
 
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Old 10-22-16, 06:39 AM
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Where is the cold air return in the room? Consider that the air will move roughly from the supply register to the return register and choose a location where it will provide warm air flow in parts of the room that aren't well served by existing register.

Keep in mind that you can't just tack another register onto an existing small distribution duct, you will need to run ductwork back to the main trunk if you want a real chance for it to work. Even then, your furnace can supply only so much air, so adding a register will general reduce the flow to all other registers a little.

Locating under a window is the norm, but I wouldn't put it under a bed; choose a different location.
 
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Old 10-22-16, 06:49 AM
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When I installed the heating system in my previous house I put the registers under the windows because you ALWAYS want to place the heat outlet at the point where there is the greatest heat loss. That was also the place where the bed was so the register was under the bed as well.

It worked just fine but I must mention this was a regular steel bed frame on casters that was open underneath. I wouldn't try it with a platform bed or one with drawers that actually sits on the floor all around.

Years later I remodeled the bedroom, taking out the window and closing up the wall. I installed a sliding glass door in the other outside wall and moved the heat outlet to that point. I also bought a platform bed with drawers. Moving the heat outlet to the other wall (with the glass doors) was fairly easy and everything still worked well.
 
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Old 10-22-16, 06:52 AM
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The room does not have a cold air return... the nearest one is in the hallway connected to the bedroom, so it gets especially chilly when the door is closed (i.e. when family is staying over and close the door at night)
 
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Old 10-22-16, 06:55 AM
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The window in question is at the opposite end of the room (from where the door is). So maybe I will put it there (even if my bed is over it) since that is the furthest distance from the door (where the nearest cold air return is) so it would draw the warm air across the room?
 
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Old 10-22-16, 06:58 AM
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While are doing all this, why not consider adding a cold air return in the room; sounds like it would be helpful for increasing comfort.
 
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Old 10-22-16, 07:02 AM
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Maybe I will do that. I see the run connected to the cold air return in the hallway is right underneath the floor of the bedroom, so it would be easy to do. I have added floor registers in the past, but never a cold air return... is is the same process? Just tap into the run? Or is there more to it?

Do you think I should just add the cold air return and not do the second floor register and see if that solves the problem? Or is it common with rooms that have 3 outside walls to require two floor registers?
 
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Old 10-22-16, 07:20 AM
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I would start with the return air duct. You could have 100 supply ducts but without any means for the air to exit the room it would still be cold.

The number of supply registers is a function of the volume of the room AND the heat loss from the room. Both need to be considered.
 
 

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