Homeowners often overlook the importance of heating vents in the home. Many don’t even check the condition of their vents before winter, and consequently, face issues with their heating system along with expensive repair bills.
The vents of your heating system are essential components of the HVAC system. Vents that are clogged, cracked or warped will impact the overall performance of your heating system. Vent location is also significant, and this is determined by the size of your house and the type of HVAC system you own.
Before you can inspect your vents, you have to know where they are. Knowing where your vents are in your home is important. Below, we will take a look at the different types of heating systems and the proper vent placement.
HVAC Systems & Vent Placement
The heating vents in your home are literally what keeps your home warm and cozy. They transport warm air through your home. Not all vents are the same, however. Gravity, radiant heat or forced-air are the most used HVAC systems, and each one has its own method of dispensing conditioned air.
Gravity Systems - These systems rely on the law of gravity to warm up your house. They transport warm air upward through ductwork to the highest floor, allowing gravity to deliver it to different rooms in the house via vents that are usually located on the floor.
Forced-air Systems - These systems will "force" heated and cooled air through ducts to the vents. They offer good indoor air quality and are energy efficiency. Vents in forced-air systems are located in walls, floors or ceiling.
Radiant Heating Systems - Using hot water as the heat source, these systems work by heating air with a furnace. This warm air will move through ducts inside the walls, floor, or ceiling. They are very efficient and recommended for people with upper respiratory problems because they don't send air throughout the home as other systems do. Vent openings of radiant heating systems are found on the walls, the ceiling or the floor.
Your house needs clean vents for air distribution, so keeping them clean is crucial to ensure they work properly.
Do You Know Where Your Heating Vents Are?
The first step to keeping heating vents clean is to know where they are. Then, look for cracks and damage that can result in duct loss.
An exhaust vent that is clogged with snow can send exhaust gases back into the structure, creating a potentially dangerous situation. Carbon monoxide (CO) gases are extremely dangerous to pets and humans.
DON’T Close Your Heating Vents!
Closing your vents in low traffic rooms to save energy may backfire on you. Doing so will interrupt the way your heating system was intended to run which can lead to higher energy bills and system malfunction.
HVAC systems are installed to operate with a fixed amount of ventilation, and closing the vents will interfere with the way your heating system performs.
Call Dutch Enterprises in Jackson, MO for more information about how to care for your heating and cooling vents. They can answer all your questions and address how you can keep the vents in your home clean and damage-free.
