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Heating & Air Conditioning

Are high and low vents worth the savings

8 years ago

I have 4 vents in my living room used for both A/C and Heating. They are 2 sets of 2 where there is one duct in the wall and a vent low on the wall and another vent high on the wall both attached to the same duct. I know the idea is to close the bottom and open the top during summer, and switch them for heating in winter. My question is: Is the ugly top vent really worth any real savings? Many other vents in my home are in the floor anyway. And this "mess" is on the main visible wall of the living room surrounding a nice fireplace and brick wall. So I plan to stuff the top of the duct with insulation, remove the top grate, and sheet-rock the hole on top leaving only the bottom as a vent. Thoughts / Comments are appreciated.

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Comments (5)

mike_home
8 years ago
If the ceiling height is 8-9 feet, then I don't think high and low vents make much of an difference in comfort. If the ceiling is above 12 feet, then I would keep both set of vents.
User thanked mike_home
User
Original Author
8 years ago
Yeah... I was afraid that would be an issue. The living room has cathedral ceilings. I'm impressed with you catching that. Thanks.
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Vith
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
Is it really that ugly? Can you look at it as a well thought out design that actually took more work to do instead? Can you think of it as doing a good job of managing temperature in that room instead? You might find it isnt that ugly if you appreciate it.

So I plan to stuff the top of the duct with insulation, remove the top
grate, and sheet-rock the hole on top leaving only the bottom as a vent.
Thoughts / Comments are appreciated. If you want insulation fibers blown all over and in your lungs, then go for it. I think you should leave it alone and use the way it was designed.

This isnt particularly about any savings, it is about comfort levels. Heating and cooling large rooms is one thing, but making them comfortable is another. If what you have works, then dont mess with it.

A way to make the vent look better is for it to be the same color as
your outlets or trim, instead of trying to hide it, embrace it and make
it look like it belongs there
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ionized_gw
8 years ago
I've seen vent grills wallpapered over so they blend in.

OP, are you sure that both vents are not supposed be used at the same time?
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User
Original Author
8 years ago
To Vith: I appreciate your approach. I've tried. But yes.. they are ugly. I guess I can re-install them better because they do not lie flat on the wall. But mostly, they are each just 1.5 inches from a window on each side of the room. In redecorating we what to install nice window treatment that will have to block to some extent these vents. So I keep wanting to make them go away. Still undecided....

To ionized_gw: Wallpaper would hide them better.... but it is a VERY large space and we will not wallpaper it. And yes.. the intent of this system is to use one vent at a time.

Thanks everyone. Your comments are making me think this out.
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