A heating, ventilation, and/or air conditioning (HVAC) system having a return air recycling system that includes a heat exchanger configured to be disposed along a refrigerant circuit of the HVAC system and flow a refrigerant therethrough, an exhaust fan configured to direct return air across the heat exchanger to place the refrigerant in thermal communication with the return air and to exhaust the return air from the HVAC system, and a controller configured to adjust a speed of the exhaust fan, a flow rate of refrigerant through the heat exchanger, or both, based on feedback indicative of a temperature of the return air.