Best method to use?

Paul Dormuth
by Paul Dormuth
I recently purchased a fairly new home. The return air metal work is done poorly. I am sending photos to help explain. The gaps between the I joists and the ducts are so big and so many that most return air is being taken from the basement. As this is a two story very little is drawn from the second floor.
Any ideas on how to seal it up? I keep coming back to foam insulation, but that always is such a mess.
How do professionals do it correctly?
  4 answers