If you are a homeowner, you may already be familiar with the working mechanisms of your heating and air system. Your home is designed around a network of ducts that are hidden from view behind the walls of your home. These ducts are connected to one another to provide a network of highways for the air flow produced by your heating and cooling system. The primary job of the air ducts is to allow the air to cycle throughout your home. One of the most important components of the ductwork is the supply and return vents. The vents are located throughout the home and play a fundamental role in the heating and cooling process along with ensuring that the temperature within the home is kept at a comfortable level.

Supply & Return Air Temperature & Other Differences

Both your air conditioner and furnace blow conditioned air into the rooms in your home. This process of moving air is just one of the many functions that your unit is designed to perform. When the air handler is on, it not only blows air out into the room it also keeps the environment balanced by literally removing air at the same time.

What is the Purpose of the Supply Vents?

The supply vents in your home can be easily identified by the covers on the opening in the walls that allow conditioned air to be blown out. Air will travel from your heating and cooling system, through the network of ducts before being blown out of the supply vents. If you hold a piece of paper in front of the vent, you will see the paper move and feel the air that is being blown out.

How Many Return Air Vents Do I Need?

Just like the supply vents, your return vents can also be easily identified as covers on the opening in your walls. The difference is that these covers are connected to your return ducts. When the air handler is operating; it removes air from the room by sucking it through the ductwork and back to the heating and cooling systems. The return vents can be easily identified as they are larger in size than the supply vents and contain a filter that is designed to catch tiny particles of dust and debris as the air is sucked through to the return ducts. How many you need depends on the size and layout of your home as well as other factors. An HVAC professional like Air Supply Heating & Air Conditioning can do an HVAC energy audit of your home or office to determine the number of return air vents you need as well as the optimal locations.

Supply & Return Air Vent & Duct Design Requirements

Your heating and cooling system is meticulously designed to help maintain a balanced environment within the network of ducts in your home. An ideal environment ensures that the amount of air being blown out into the room equals the amount of air that is being sucked back in through the return vents. One of the most common ductwork design issues found in homes is an inadequate number of supply or return vents. A home with too few supply and return vents will cause the pressure inside the duct system to build and become disrupted. Your home will then suffer both in levels of comfort and efficiency.

Maximizing the Performance of Your Supply & Return Vents

Even if you have the right balance of supply and return vents in the home, you still need to ensure that they are functioning correctly.
– Keep furniture and other items away from both the supply and return vents. Keeping your vents clear will allow the air flow to move freely to and from the vents system.
– Never close supply vents in rooms that are unused. Closing the vent will increase the pressure within the ductwork allowing for an imbalance in the flow of air.
– Talk to your Air Supply Heating & Air Conditioning specialists about installing a zoning system to further increase heating and air efficiency in your home.

Air Duct Design, Fabrication, Installation, Replacement, Repairs, Sealing, Cleaning & More in the Las Vegas Valley, Summerlin, North LV & Henderson Nevada

For more information regarding HVAC repair, installation, maintenance and other related services in the Greater Las Vegas Valley, contact the knowledgeable experts at Air Supply Heating & Air Conditioning today!