Venting storage compartment?

[Cathy and Paula]

Can someone tell me why the grate that is on the stairs leading into the bedroom is open to the front bay? All the heat and AC is going down into the front storage compartment. Is there reason for this? There is also open vents under the couch that heat and cool the compartment in the rear. Why??? I do not need to heat or cool my storage compartments and if we are somewhere where it gets really cold the furnace puts off a lot of heat inside the compartment that would keep my tanks warm. Any thoughts please.

Thanks

[MrSeas]

So if it's really cold you might want your "storage" compartments to have some heat to keep stuff from freezing. Just a thought....

[chirakawa]

Your basement is heated by the furnace in order to protect water and waste tanks. That forced air to the basement must return somehow. The grate is the return air to the furnace.

 

This is why I never leave my outside compartment doors open. Insects which enter through an open compartment door have access to the living area.

[Cathy and Paula]

Thanks for the info. We are warm weather followers and we are very seldom anywhere where its cold enough to run the furnace. We do put the heat pumps on sometimes but we use the AC the most. So I will close off the vent when we are using the AC.

 

Thanks

[Fulltimer51]

Magnetic strips from Lowes and others, work well. Cut to fit. Only down side is that they are white.

Clear packing tape works well also. I havent noticed any or very little residue left behind. Really cheap too.

[ronmon]

The vent in the steps of a fiver is actually the cold air return for the furnace. The furnace blows hot air into the living quarters and the vent recycles the air back through the furnace.

 

Ron

 

PS: The furnace is in the "basement". it