We have an inconveniently located air return in our den that prevents us from using the wall for any furniture. So we're basically stuck with a single sofa.

I don't think relocation is in the cards because of the hassle, but is there a way to extend a small duct or something to where it can get airflow?

I saw this on Amazon, but it's configured for a floor vent. Could I get away with just pointing it vertically to where it would get clearance behind a sectional?

https://a.co/d/cuNwvAP

Basic of of where the return sits. Any other suggestions?

Is the duct in the wall headed up or down?

Really, if you can deal with keeping the sofa 6" off the wall, just build some spacers and run with it.

Duct goes up into the attic.

I'll probably end up just doing spacers and hoping for the best. I have about 10.5' max from the wall to the needed walkway, so we can probably find something workable

Not familiar with the difference, but I assume ducted. It pulls when the air is running. One of three returns on the system.

There's a return directly beneath the thermostat, a larger one about 20 feet away in the living room, and the one in question is about 30 feet away in the den on the wall shared with the garage

Edit to add: it's a 5 ton unit if that matters

Ok I did some googling and then took a look.

It's not ducted, just runs through the void in the wall between the studs.

Do you have access to the attic? If so you can reroute the return to the ceiling.
If not patch the lower wall and put the louvre further up the wall closer to the ceiling.

Well, there you go. You could probably pretty easily move that grill UP on the wall and block off the bottom part and use a water based mastic to seal it up. I say easily but it requires cutting a new hole and dry walling over the old.

I don't think I'd like the grill behind a couch. Do you use filters in that return or do you have a big media filter in the air handler? I still would prefer that return to be serviceable for filter replacement but if it doesn't have a filter then you could certainly do like suggested above and leave a little space do it to do it's thing.

I agree with spacers
In Texas, most seasons are cooling = RA low, Supply high.

There may be some furniture modication options at sectional rear afoot as well to insure air flow.

This appears to be what we call a Dallas return air system, venting between wall studs into attic.
If so, then more than one RA chase such as this exists, all collected in attic (or crawl space) then filtered prior to condensing unit. As such, the whole HVAC system should not suffer if you get a bit too close but if that room seems to suffer, then
a) the sectional must come out a bit more than 4-6"
b) another vent introduced higher (as mentioned above) but not to ceiiling, please
c) furniture blockage area removed
d) narrow table (height = sectional back) placed behind sectional for books, object d' art that allows vent to breathe http://rb.gy/8bq9v7

jt2hunt said:

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Leave the one down low and add another one higher up on the wall
Put the couch wherever you want.

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On second thought, I would like to ammend my suggestion to agree with this.

You can't have TOO MUCH return. This solution will avoid drywall repair and increase your supply. I cannot think of a recent install where I have seen adequate amounts of return air so this suggestion is superior to my original one.

You can open the sheetrock and create horizontal headers and footers and seal them to create a continuation chase and relocate the grill once framed out where you want it. Probably not an issue where it is altough I would convert it to a filtered rack myself which will catch all debris before it gets in the ducts or system.

jt2hunt said:

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Leave the one down low and add another one higher up on the wall
Put the couch wherever you want.

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This is the way