I’m installing waincoating in a dining room with a high pitched ceiling. The owner wants the wainscoating to go up 60 inches and be topped by a picture rail. The room has 6 HVAC returns registers that run along the long wall in the room — 3 low (about 12 inches off the floor) and 3 high (about 8 feet off the floor and directly above the lower registers). Each low register is on the same vertical duct as a high register above it – I believe the intention is that you can return air from different heights depending on the season. I can work the lower registers into the wall treatment through a build out and they will look fine. The upper return registers will really stick out above the picture rail and the owner wants to close them up. Because she will still have all three lower registers, she should still get adequate air from the room back to the handler. Is there any problem with removing the upper registers and drywalling over the holes? Again, these are return registers. I was not sure whether the portion of the duct between the low and high registers could become a location for mold, etc. If I can close it up, is there anything special I need to do before I drywall over the opening.
Thanks for your help.
Frank R
Replies
Other than the loss of their function, there should be no other problems with simply drywalling over the holes. The abandoned section of the return ducts will not create any other problems. The loss of the high returns will affect the operation and/or effectiveness of the system in the cooling season. Explain this to your customer. If they decide comfort is less important than asthetics, then go for it.