Cover Me: Learn Strategic Uses of Vent Covers To Improve Indoor Comfort

Vent Covers Are Your Secret Weapon When It Comes to Maintaining Ideal Temperature In Your Home

It doesn’t matter what time of year it is, or whether you want your home hotter or colder. The truth is that using your vent covers in the right way can help you not only save energy and reduce your utility bills, but get your house “just right” summer or winter.

How It Works

Close the air vents in rooms that aren’t being used. By shutting off the air flow heading into that extra bedroom or bathroom, you’re allowing the HVAC-heated or cooled air that would normally be pumped into those rooms to go where it’s useful and needed instead. In other words, why spend money to heat or cool empty rooms? Closing off these vents allows you to save real money and make your HVAC equipment all the more efficient. And one hidden bonus: a cooler (or hotter) guest room might just discourage Aunt Martha from visiting this spring after all.

Air Duct Technology on the Cutting Edge

Zoned heating and cooling is one of the most popular new HVAC technologies around. Working together with a wireless thermostat, the air duct vent covers in this kind of system close themselves when a preprogrammed indoor temperature is reached. Obviously, this means greater convenience for residents, and no more hot or cold spots from uneven heating and cooling. In a home with unusually shaped doors and windows that might let in drafts, this becomes an incredibly useful innovation.

Air Deflectors Can Help Too

Air deflectors (sometimes called raised grill covers) can also be helpful in maintaining optimal temperatures within the home. Designed to redirect airflow in central forced-air HVAC equipment, these adjustable deflectors mean you’re saving money as you conserve energy. What’s not to like? In the warm summer months, air is deflected towards the ground, while in the colder months, these grill covers redirect the air towards the ceiling for maximum efficiency. Air deflectors should always be used in vents that will remain open year round.

The bottom line? Don’t waste money on heating and cooling areas you don’t have to, and streamline airflow delivery to the rooms you do. These simple tips will save you lots of energy, and real money when it comes to your utility bills, year round. And that’s HVAC that has you covered (tip your waitresses, we’ll be here all week).

Need help regulating the temp in your home? Call the experts at Air-Tro for advice on maximizing the efficiency of your HVAC system. (626) 357-3535.