SeattleDIY

I have 2 returns in my house. when the heat is not on and it is cold,I can feel cold air coming out of them.

Is this normal??

Hube

This can be a normal occurance if the return passages such as joist spaces, outside wall spaces, etc are used. If these passages run thru unheated areas or areas that are drafty because they are on an outside wall with no insulation, then yes, with the fan shut off this cold air will transfer to the heated area of the home via the return grille. Check out any passage that has an outside wall rim joist that is not insulated or sealed ,thus allowing cold air from the outside to come in.

kok328

On my High Efficiency setup, I have a 6" duct from the outside to the floor by the furnace (combustion air and pressure balancing). I also have a 4" duct from the outside to the end of the return air manifold (fresh air intake).
I suppose that if the home is not balanced correctly, the fresh air duct could certainly allow for cold air to come out the return registers, especially on a windy day.

wayneled86

make sure they are blowing cool air by placing a piece of paper under the vent. sometimes it feels like it's blowing cool air, but it's realling sucking in cool air. hard to tell the difference with your hand.