It's not cheap to stay cool in the warm South Bay Peninsula and Santa Cruz summers, but there are a few ways you can make things easier. Just redirecting vents can improve your comfort while cutting your costs.
Choose the Right Vent Covers
Chances are the vent covers you use now are standard models designed to keep debris out of the ducts and prevent strong drafts. Because these don't direct airflow, they can still leave you with air blowing where you don't want it. If uncomfortable drafts are your main problem, upgrade to better vent covers. Models with thick wooden slats and those with Victorian-style metal faces break up airflow more effectively. Specially designed vent diffusers are also available.
When actually redirecting vents is necessary, a vent deflector can help. Placed over the vent, these curved covers arc over half the vent to direct the air away from a wall, furniture or curtains.
To enjoy more of the air coming from a vent that's stuck under a piece of furniture, try a vent extender. These narrow, low-profile covers guide the air out from under an obstruction so it flows into the room, not onto the furniture.
Optimize Your Duct Airflow
If there's an unused room you don't want to heat or cool, you can block the vent to direct the air back into the ducts and toward the rest of your rooms. The simplest way is to use a vent deflector with a cover that can be lowered to close the vent. This gives you the flexibility to choose how much air you want to let out. A magnetic rubber vent cover is another option.
Never close more than 10 percent of your vents. Doing so will create a pressure imbalance that can damage the components of your heating and cooling system. To direct air more effectively, consult a technician about a zoning system.
Visit our website for in-depth information on most HVAC topics, or just give us a call at (408) 868-5500 at Valley Heating, Cooling, Electrical anywhere in the South Bay Peninsula and Santa Cruz area.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in the South Bay Peninsula and Santa Cruz areas of California about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).