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Return air ducts in wall cavity

Return air ducts in wall cavity

Return air ducts in wall cavity

(OP)
I'm remodeling my basement and noticed that the builders decided to use a two 16 x 2 wall cavities for my return air ducts.  I'm in a ranch house with 9 ft ceilings.  The one duct goes clear to the top of the wall and down to the basement as where the other is in the living room and just a short 3 ft cavity.  They both go the basement to the same joist cavity where the "duct" is finished with a 'reflectopan' type thermal cardboard placed across the 16 inch gap between the joists.

Is this considered standard practice?  It seems pretty shoddy to me but I wasn't sure if that's SOP for return air ducts.  

RE: Return air ducts in wall cavity

It's common.

RE: Return air ducts in wall cavity

Yup, seen 'em in old and new construction.

Good on ya,

Goober Dave

RE: Return air ducts in wall cavity

(OP)
I'm getting a ton of sound coming down through this cavity, is there something other than the cardboard that I can put in its place that will better block out the sound?  Could I do some standard panning and put some 1/2 inch foam insulation along the joists and bottom of the pan?

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