wall/return vent??

[Street_Soldier]

does anyone know those vents that are on the very bottom of the wall in your house (usually mounted to the wall touching the grounf)? Well if you do can someone tell me what they actually do.

They look like this

http://www.ventmate.com/pics/IH02813a.jpg


can someone tell me if everyone needs one? or if its recommended to have?

[nismodrifter]

cold air return. and duh...of course you need them

[Street_Soldier]

ok i m doing my basement and i have heated floors do i still need them?

[Mr. Burns]

If you want fresh air to circulate through your basement then you need them.

[frozenrice]

those return airs are part of the air circulation process for your forced air heating system. even though you have heated floors in the basement, you should keep them in order to circulate the air in the rooms. basically the heat vents (the ones in the floor- or in your case the ceilings) fill the room with "fresh" air and the return airs allow the excess air to circulate back to the furnace where it goes through the filter and enters back into the furnace to be heated up again.

[Street_Soldier]

cool thanks everyone