Most homes in the Peachtree City area rely on central, forced-air HVAC that uses a duct system for air distribution. In a home’s finished living space, the ducts are placed behind the ceilings, walls or under the floor, and the only portions visible are the HVAC vents covering individual duct openings. Here’s a helpful primer on the types of HVAC vents you’ll find in your home, and what they do:

Understanding Supply and Return HVAC Vents

If your HVAC has a duct system that’s properly designed for balanced airflow, it has a specific number of supply ducts to deliver conditioned air, and return ducts that draw stale air back to the equipment for reheating/cooling. It’s easy to tell the difference between these two kinds of ducts based on appearance of their vent covers:

Most rooms in your home will have one or two louvered HVAC vent covers known as registers. These vents usually have a integrated damper with either a lever or rolling control that you can open and close to adjust the amount of airflow. Even though your register covers are adjustable, it’s vital to always keep the louvers fully open, because closing some can upset air balance within the HVAC system, resulting in a decrease in energy efficiency and a greater chance of component breakdowns and failures.

These are stationary covers typically used on return vents that bring air back into the system for reconditioning. Although the exact number in your home will vary depending on the duct system design, there are usually one or two such vents on each floor or level. It’s important to identify the location of your return vents so you can make sure they’re unobstructed by furniture, window treatments and other household items. Blocked grilles are just like closed registers – they can restrict airflow and cause serious HVAC efficiency and performance problems.

If you’re experiencing problems with your Peachtree City home’s HVAC like a drop in conditioned air output or uneven cooling, contact us today at Powers Heating & Air for an expert evaluation of your duct system and HVAC vents.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Peachtree City, Georgia and surrounding areas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Guide or call us at 770-487-2040.