Your central heating and cooling system has several vents to help move the air around your house. You may be curious about the different types of vents in your home. It is important to know about these vents to ensure that they are functioning as they should.

Supply and Return Vents

Supply are the vents that your conditioned air comes out of. If you feel cold or hot air coming out of a particular vent, those are your supply vents. A return is a vent that draws air into the system. Some houses may have several return vents in the house, while others will have one large return vent. The number of return vents, and the number of supply vents will vary depending on the size of the home and system. It is important that you keep this system balanced. The amount of return air must equal the amount of the supply air. If this balance is not achieved, it can cause the unit to build up pressure. This can cause damage to the internal parts of the HVAC system.

Grills and Registers

Grills and registers cover the vents. This includes both the supply and return. These grills will be wherever an HVAC vent is. This includes the walls, ceilings, and floors. Registers have slatted openings that have a damper that you can adjust. This will allow you to manage the airflow that comes out of them. It is important to never completely close the grill off as it will cause the system to become unbalanced. Grills are on the return duct and you cannot close these off.

How to Know When Something Is Wrong

There are several things that can damage your HVAC airflow system. Damage to the ductwork from rodents, or construction at your home can impede the airflow. If there is a hole in the HVAC system, it can let dirt and other debris into your home. Dirty return grills or supply registers can also cause the air quality in your home to be poor. You will know something is wrong when you do not feel the airflow flowing from your vents. You may also notice that your unit is coming on more often. It is important to contact an HVAC professional if you notice any issues.

Call Us Today

At Robert Bair, our team of HVAC professionals are here to ensure that your HVAC system is working. If you suspect you have a problem, please give us a call today.