How do you hide a return air vent?

Much like the louvered doors, louvered shutters can be used to hide a return air vent without obstructing airflow. These can be hung over the return vent like a picture would be or secured to the wall with hinges allowing you to open and close the shutters when it's time to replace your return vent filters.

Can you cover up an air return vent?

Avoid covering your cold air return vents with curtains, drapes or rugs. Always check your air filters and replace them when needed. Clogged air filters can also cause cold air return blockages.

What happens if you cover a return vent?

Blocking air return vents causes your system to work harder, as there is less air flow to move the air back to the furnace. This continued strain on the HVAC system can lead to a decrease in performance and more HVAC repairs down the road.

What can you use to cover a vent?

Find a collection of pictures, prints of your favorite art, award ribbons, or other small trinkets that can fit over the surface of the vent. Attach or tie the items to the slats or bars of your air vent to keep them secure. As you arrange these decorations, make sure that you're not covering the vent completely.

How do I cover air vents in my ceiling?

Attach a color-coordinated vent cover. Vent covers are magnetic and can be cut to the exact shape of the vent with scissors. Place them over the vent when the heating or cooling system is not in use. Because vent covers are smooth vinyl, they work best if your ceiling is painted smooth to match.

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Is it OK to block a cold air return?

Long story short: It's never a good idea to cover up cold air returns. Don't succumb to the temptation, and always check that air is circulating freely when you move furniture. If your HVAC system isn't performing the way you would like, it might have other efficiency issues.

Can you put a couch in front of a return vent?

Home Inspection Insider explains that an air return vent needs 6-12 inches of space in front of it, and recommends that you do not put large, bulky furniture like couches and bookshelves in front of an air return vent.

Are return air vents necessary?

Return air vents are an important part of your HVAC system. These vents allow the air that is in your home to return to the system for heating or cooling in order to maintain the proper temperature in the home.

Can you put a table over a vent?

Placing wood furniture on or too near air vents will almost certainly damage the wood. The forced air is very drying and could cause joints to loosen and boards to crack. If another piece of furniture is blocking the vent, exceptionally moist conditions in the room might cause wood furniture to warp.

What is the purpose of a return air vent?

Return vents: What is a return vent? These vents suck the air from each room and send it back to the air conditioning or heating system. Return vents tend to be bigger than supply vents, and you won't feel any air coming from them. When an HVAC system delivers air to a room, it increases that room's air pressure.

What does a return vent look like?

You can identify return vents by turning on the system fan and holding your hand or a piece of paper up. If the paper is pulled toward the vent or you feel a suction effect, it's a return vent.

Should every room have a cold air return?

While it is a myth that air return grilles are required in each and every room in the house, it is definitely necessary to have more than one of these grilles installed at strategic places in the house. The most important place to have these would be the bedroom.

Is it OK to cover a vent with furniture?

It is best practice not to cover vents with furniture. If you place furniture atop a vent, it may dry out the wood and damage your expensive sofa or armoire. You may also cause your furnace or air conditioner to work harder, resulting in a higher utility bill or premature wear to your system.

Do vent extenders work?

Do Air Vent Deflectors Work? They absolutely do! Air vent diverters, or deflectors, work by redirecting the air coming from the HVAC vents for optimal heating and cooling. This is an HVAC accessory, typically made of plastic that fits over the air vents or air vent diffusers in your home.

Should you cover cold air returns in summer?

Because hot air rises and cold air falls, you need to adjust your return vents with the seasons. In the summer, your lower vents should be closed and your upper vents should be open. In the winter, your upper vents should be closed and your lower vents should be open.

How important is cold air returns?

The return registers draw stale air into the ductwork, where it's pulled through the filter to capture dust and debris and then delivered back to the HVAC equipment for reconditioning. However, the most important function of the cold air return registers is ensuring ample airflow through the HVAC system.

Should you cover cold air returns in winter?

In the same way that hot air rises, cold air stays lower. So when you're trying to heat your home, your lower return vents should be open to collect the cold air and your upper return vents should be closed to keep the heat from escaping.

Is it OK to cover air vents?

You could mess with the air flow.

Just because you cover the vent, it doesn't mean your HVAC system knows that. It will keep pushing air to those vents, and if they're closed, you could cause a buildup of air pressure and insufficient airflow which could damage your system.

Can you cover ceiling vent?

Permanently Covering Vents

The least expensive method to seal the vent opening is to remove the vent cover from the ceiling, cut a piece of cardboard to fit inside the vent cover, tape the cardboard in place with polyurethane tape, and reinstall the vent cover.

Should ceiling vents be open or closed in winter?

Air vents should be open to prevent damage

Increased air pressure can create cracks and holes in the ductwork. It can also cause your furnace's heat exchanger to crack. Leave all air vents open to prevent extensive damage to your home's heating system this winter.

Can you hang a picture over a return air vent?

There is nothing worse than going to hang up a picture and drilling right into your air vent. Air vents are metal plates that cover the holes responsible for letting in fresh air into your home. Together with air ducts, they serve as part of a home's main ventilation, air conditioning, and the heating system.

How many return air vents should a house have?

Ideally, every room except the kitchen and bath should have its own return air grille. At the very least, each level of the house should have one. Even so, many homes were built with just one or even no return ducts in an attempt to cut costs.

What is the difference between air vent and return?

Supply vents are usually found high up on the walls in your home, or on the ceiling. Return Vents: These air vents suck air from the rooms in your home back into your HVAC system.