Basement Sump Planning Need Input

The actual KwH and all that good stuff would be easy to figure out, but the variable would be the amount of hours that the heater ran before with the sump upstairs. That is going to be my big game changer since the sump is now in a basement that is a bit cooler than upstairs and has a larger sump water volume.

I do not believe there is any reason that it isn't okay. It is just pulling room temperature air over a foot worth of PVC. It isn't cooled or heated air that is being moved over it. Are you referring to air leaks or water leaks? The water leaks would run down the pvc and I would be able to see them. As for air leaks, air returns are not sealed systems a minor leak isn't going to have any substantial effect on the heating/cooling system. Also this isn't the main return that is pulling from all over the house just from the living room.

 

Do you think a short span of vinyl tubing maybe like 3 inches is enough to isolate all vibration through the piping?

 

It will make a big difference. Some will still get through, but dramatically less than direct PVC connect. The elasticity in the vinyl will absorb quite a bit.

EDIT: The longer the length of vinyl, the more vibration gets absorbed.

 

I ended up adding in between 1.5 and 1.75 feet of 1" ID vinyl tubing, seems to have drastically reduced the vibration I am hearing through the wall.