For most people, HVAC installation involves placing different components in the corner of your rooms then connecting the necessary wires and other parts to start its operation. This is unfortunately not this easy.
There are different components of your unit whose positioning should be expertly calculated to guarantee your system’s efficiency. Among the critical elements that will affect the flow of your system’s air are its registers. Registers are your property’s vent openings.
They are sometimes installed during construction to accommodate a home air conditioning installation, but your home can also be remodeled to fit them. The registers should supply the conditioned air from your unit and return air from your indoors to the system for conditioning.
Here are some tidbits on the key elements that will influence the optimal location of your home’s registers.
Height
There are different types of supply and return vents including transfer grilles, ceiling jumper ducts, wall grilles and undercuts. The height of return and supply registers is flexible. It will primarily depend on your HVAC unit.
Most units have their ductwork installed in crawlspaces. For these units, the registers are installed on the floor. For HVAC units installed in the attic, the registers will be instead placed in the ceiling.
Room Placement
Your registers should keep your property evenly heated at all times. To achieve this, all large rooms should have a supply register installed in them.
The supply registers can be looped together or connected in web-like patterns or terminated at multiple endpoints. The placement of a register in each large and frequently used room will guarantee an optimal airflow throughout your property.
Window Placement
Most properties in which registers are already installed have them located close to the windows. This is because windows allow the transfer of heat in your interiors easily.
The warm air that comes from your unit’s supply registers is pushed away from the vents, and the air creates a buffer zone that averts the inflow of cold air from the exteriors.
The same principle is followed for the distribution of cold air in hot weather. In most cases, therefore, a professional installer will recommend building your registers close to windows if you already do not have them in place.
Distance Between Vents
Supply and return vents are separate. This will reduce the risk of hot or cold air from the supply vent being sucked into the return vents without circulating in your interiors. This is short circuiting.
To minimize this eventuality, maintaining a considerable distance between your supply and return registers is essential.
A proper choice of the above elements for your registers’ placement is not only essential for your comfort but also boosts your system’s energy efficiency. Picking the right height and distance measurements as well as the ideal window and room placements is not as easy as the information here might make it seem.
Professional input is hence essential for the installation of an optimally operating HVAC unit. Involve an HVAC installation expert in your choice of a unit as well to ensure the one you buy meets your property’s needs.
