Cold Air Return? Where???

[Rolyasm]

Just framed my HT room. builder put a cold air ruturn exactly where I told him not too. So now I am complaining but feel I need to offer a better solution. The HT is in the basement corner of a house, so two of the walls are foundation, the third is backed up to cold storage and furnace room. I really don't care if sound transmits to these rooms. The fourth wall is against a kitchen/game room. I want very little sound transmission to this room and have doubled the walls and plan to do more with it. This is the wall the builder put the cold air return in, effectively connecting my seperated staggered walls.. UGh. Any suggestions what to do with the cold air return? I'd rather not put it in the ceiling, but this would be better than where it is at? Do I even need it? thanks all. A quick response is much appreciated.
Roly

[David Meek]

Put in in the third wall and make sure it's well insulated to prevent noise leakage into the theater from the furnace. The ceiling isn't a bad option depending on where your inlets are. If the inlets are in the ceiling, it's best to put the return air low (and away from the inlets) to maximize the flow pattern.

Also, absolutely, positively, have the contractor move the duct. Period. NEVER let him do something against your wishes unless there is a structural or code issue. You're paying him, not the other way around. I've a good bit of experience in the home-building industry and a good builder will try to accommodate you on things you are knowledgable about.

[Rolyasm]

thanks for the info. I will see about moving it. So it is just a bad idea not to have one in the room, especially since it will be so well insulated and air-tight? Also, a bit of bad news, fire code says I have to connect my double walls every 8 feet, so now my room inside a room just got connected every 8 feet. UGH. I really fear this just put a dagger in my back and my whole planning was wasted. the connecting board goes from one wall to the other and the board looks like plywood. Will this sabotage my whole plan? should I just give in to the fact that my room will not be sound-proofed? I think I will go crawl into a corner.

[David Meek]

Roly, no corners needed man. I mean, the joiners certainly won't help, but having multiple 8' sections that aren't connected will still be a positive. I'd always go with a return in the room if possible, that gives better air flow in an area that will have lots of electronics and human heat sources.

[Rolyasm]

So has anyone else had this problem with joiners? I have researched this stuff for many months and noboby ever said anything about coming up against the fire inspectors. I feel like I am in the twilight zone. I am fighting the city, I am fighting my builder... nobody is on poor ol' Roly's side. I told my builder to call the city and find out if I could use some kind of insulation or anything else to keep the walls seperated. He said code was wood with a one-hour burn time. Maybe he will find something out. I wish he would have told me about the code thing 3 months ago when I gave him my plans for the HT. Sorry, I know this forum isn't intended as a whine session. If you know of any way around this code, please let me know. concerning the cold air return, he said we will have enough room to keep it seperated from the wall to the kitchen so we will still be able to insulate it. I am making him use roofing material everywhere. maybe it will help. thanks.

[Clive]

Finding a way around building codes is NOT recomended. But of course there are always the "minimum requirements" that can be addressed. Your builder will know what to do but he will not want to be liable if anything should go wrong, remember his reputation depends on good building practices so be patient. Work with it

[David Meek]

He said code was wood with a one-hour burn time. Maybe he will find something out. I wish he would have told me about the code thing 3 months ago when I gave him my plans for the HT. Sorry, I know this forum isn't intended as a whine session. If you know of any way around this code, please let me know.

If it's code, you need to stay within it - especially fire code. The reason for the blocker with a specified burn time, is to stop fire from travelling inside the wall where a firefighter can't see it. You might try getting an approval for completely stuffing the void area between the walls with a fire retardant material.

And yes, your contractor should have pointed out the hole in your plans (no pun intended). Unfortunately, he may not be up on acoustic isolation for home theaters, so take the opportunity to explain why it's important to you.

[Rolyasm]

I got tough with my builder and he fixed the problem. Turned out he was just being lazy. So I am happy again with my room! Thanks for the help.
Roly