At first thought, you might not think vent covers have much to do with the overall function of your heating and cooling system. Vent covers, though, can make a big impact on heating and cooling in your home, and even this component of your HVAC system is being updated all the time. Newer vent covers can help you heat and cool your home more effectively, and can also help prevent the buildup and spread of contaminants in your air system. Knowing more about your home’s HVAC ventilation system can help you spot signs of trouble as well as stay on top of preventative maintenance. All this will help your HVAC system function more smoothly and effectively.
To learn more or if you would like a heating & air conditioning professional to take a look at your system, in the greater St. Louis area, give Galmiche & Sons a call today! One of our friendly service technicians will help you learn more about how vents play into your overall system and will keep your HVAC system running at peak performance.
Parts of the Vent System
The first thing to know about vent covers is how they interact with the rest of your HVAC ventilation system and how this system helps to keep your heat working smoothly. Proper airflow and ventilation can have a big impact on your home’s heating efficiency, so keeping your HVAC ventilation system healthy is an important part of home maintenance.
Here are the key parts of your vent system:
- Air return vents: These are the vents that are usually higher off the ground and they control air circulation throughout your home. They allow your air conditioning or heater to pull in air that is closer to the internal temperature of your home and spend less energy heating or cooling it than outside air would take. In most cases, you should have a return vent in nearly every room. Blocked return vents can cause big problems for your HVAC system.
- Supply registers: These registers deliver treated air from your HVAC unit into the different parts of your home. They can be placed just about anywhere, but you should have at least one in every room in order to keep airflow even. Together with return vents, these vents maintain proper airflow in your home and keep air moving through your ducts.
- Vent covers: Each vent should have a properly fitted vent cover at the end. This not only prevents the vent from sucking in dust and other debris, it also helps blend vents into your decor and even creates optimized airflow in and out of the vent. In fact, if you start to hear intermittent duct noises, clogged vent covers could be the reason and are one thing you should check.
Caring for Vent Covers
With vent covers being found at every entry and exit point to your ventilation system, you can see why these are so important to proper HVAC function. These covers or grills are the first line of defense your heating and cooling system has against dust, hair, and other junk that might clog up ducts or even get into your HVAC unit itself. Regularly cleaning vent covers can help keep the air in your home flowing smoothly and can also remove a source of grime and buildup. For metal vent covers, you can remove the cover completely and wash it or even put it in the dishwasher. For those made of wood or vinyl to blend with the floor, remove and clean with the appropriate floor cleaner.
You might also look for an upgrade to your vent covers with some of the modern versions available. Many have self-cleaning and antimicrobial features, as well as improved dust guards and more streamlined designs.
Find Out More About Vent Covers From Galmiche & Sons
To learn more about the latest vent cover designs and how to care for your home’s HVAC ventilation system, get in touch with the heating & air conditioning experts at Galmiche & Sons in St. Louis today.
