Ask Me Help Desk - Return not connected to the furnace

I have a not air system. My basement (in my one story house plus bedroom loft) is unfinished but I work in it year round. I recently had a HVAC installer redo the duct work because it was not done properly. One return was entirely blocked off. So, when they finished installing the new duct work, both returns were opened but not connected to the furnace. The returns empty out into the basement area. They installed two heat duct grills in the basement and they installed a return grille in the bottom of the furnace. I am disturbed because the first floor returns have not been connected by any duct work back to the furnace. Today the HVAC workers came and decided to block off one of the two returns on the first floor. They did not think that the second return form the first floor should return by duct work to the furnace but should continue to empty into the basement. Please give me some advice here about what is right and what is wrong about this arrangement.

They probably configured for what are called jump ducts. They act as mini returns and balance a system. I have them in most rooms in my house. There is no central return on the first floor?

Quote:

Originally Posted by ma0641

They probably configured for what are called jump ducts. They act as mini returns and balance a system. I have them in most rooms in my house. There is no central return on the first floor?

There are two returns on the first floor. Each one empties into the basement. However, upon my asking for the returns to be connected to the furnace directly, they decided to block one of the two returns. Now it feels as if the blocked return has cold air coming up into the first floor. What is going on here?

Quote:

Originally Posted by AMBEDFORD

There are two returns on the first floor. Each one empties into the basement. However, upon my asking for the returns to be connected to the furnace directly, they decided to block one of the two returns. Now it feels as if the blocked return has cold air coming up into the first floor. What is going on here?

The second return still empties into the basement and the two heat ducts in the basement they insist should stay open and hot air comes through very strongly. So, they have me heating the basement, seems like more than the house.