Want to try and guess what this is a picture of? Chances are you’ll be wrong. And be horrified.

This is what is called a “return air” duct to your furnace. One of the older methods was to just box in a basement joist space and then feed it to the furnace. That’s right, the air that passes through this bat cave look-alike is feeding “fresh” air into your furnace and blowing through your vents. And in this case it looks like it’s been going on for more than half a century.

Have sinus or respiratory issues in the winter and attribute it to “dry air”? Well yes, dry air can be an issue. But if your return air make-up is a horror show than more than likely it is the primary villain.

This begs the question, why be concerned about the bottom line only when considering replacing your furnace? Does the least expensive contractor win?

What about the contractor who is looking out for your best interests? The contractor who knows not only the best suited equipment for your needs, but a contractor who is aware of the pitfalls of  old building methods.

Verne & Ellsworth Hann not only wants you to be warm in the winter and cool in the summer, we want you to breathe easy every day.