How to Choose Vent Covers

Last updated July 29,

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Your heating, ventilation and air conditioning system, HVAC, is mostly unseen. The air handler, evaporator coils, heat exchanger and fan motor are all out of sight. The parts you see indoors are the vent covers and thermostat.

This guide will help you choose vent covers that fit your personal style and help maintain the best performance of your HVAC system. Registers and grilles help regulate the air flow to and from your HVAC unit. These vent covers can be made of wood, plastic or metal in a variety of styles.

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Table of Contents

1. Registers

2. Grilles

3. How to Measure for Replacement Registers and Grilles

4. Things to Consider

Registers

• Cool or warm air comes into your rooms through vents called registers. These vents have covers that vary in function and style.
• Registers, also called supply vents, may have dampers to control airflow.
• Most are rectangular but they can also be round or square.
• Covers for supply vents come in many styles. Some are designed with looks in mind, others have more practical features.
• Decorative vents come in many styles and colors, including flush vents that match the surface where they are installed.

Vent covers often have louvers to direct airflow. These louvers are usually aimed towards walls. Why? The air next to exterior walls is usually warmer or cooler than the desired temperature. Directing the conditioned air through this warmer or cooler air mixes them together and results in a more even temperature through the room.

Some vents have louvers that direct the air in more than one direction.

Grilles

For an HVAC system to work properly, air has to flow through it. Air is pushed into a room through the registers and air returns to the system through a return vent. These vents shouldn’t have an internal damper because they should be open all the time.

• Take care not to block return vents with furniture, drapes or anything else. Restricting return air flow will damage your HVAC system, resulting in a costly repair or, possibly, replacement.
• Vent covers for returns are often called grilles.
• Grilles are available to match the style of the registers.
• Returns can be located anywhere in the home. You can tell the difference between a supply vent and a return by the direction the air is traveling. Air leaves the room into the return. This can be tested by loosely holding a sheet of paper near the vent to see if it's pulled towards or pushed away from the vent
• Some systems use one return for the entire system, while others have returns at several locations.
• In some systems, the filters are located behind the return grille so they’re easy to change.

How to Measure for Replacement Registers and Grilles

• Vent cover size is based on the opening at the end of the duct. The flange, or border, will be larger.
• To measure, remove the existing vent cover and measure the opening.
• Many floor vents aren’t attached with fasteners; they simply sit on top of the opening.
• Ceiling and wall vents will be held on by screws. Remove the screws carefully. Wear eye protection when working overhead. Once the screws are removed, the vent cover can fall, so have a secure hold before removing the screws.
• Flush fit vent cover bases are installed in the framing process. Follow the instructions for your particular system if using them.

Tip: If the vent or grille's opening is especially large, choose a replacement with wide borders.

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Things to Consider

Vents may be noisy when the air is blowing through them. If the vent is close to the HVAC unit, you may be hearing the fan’s motor. If the register is away from the unit, then you’re probably hearing air turbulence.

If a vent is too noisy, check to see if the vent has a damper in it. Adjusting the damper may reduce the noise. The vent cover may be too restrictive. Switching to a more open vent cover may reduce the sound.

When it comes to choosing the right vent cover, you'll want to consider things like style and finish. A wide range of registers and grilles are available to match or complement your home’s decor. Here are some of the options available to you:

• White registers and grilles: A great pick for any room with white trim, white registers and grilles blend seamlessly into your decor.
• Black registers and grilles: Going for a monochromatic design? Black registers and grilles are excellent in more modern spaces.
• Brown or tan registers and grilles: More neutral than black, brown and tan registers look great in rooms with wood paneling. They also tend to blend better in more traditional homes.
• Decorative vent covers: Decorative designs come in a variety of styles and finishes to match your room’s aesthetic.

Tip: Always consider vent placement when you are placing furniture on or around a vent. Make sure not to create a draft or block a vent.

From choosing the best vent covers to finding replacement grilles and registers, there are a variety of options. With the right upgrade, you can improve air flow and the overall appearance of any room. Need help identifying a register or grille? Find products fast with image search in The Home Depot Mobile App. Snap a picture of an item you like and we'll show you similar products. We can also help you find all of the HVAC supplies you need in your local store.

Give your window an authentic look with grilles that are permanently applied to the interior and exterior of your window with an aluminum spacer between the glass.

An Energy Spacer option is available to improve the energy efficiency of A-Series windows with full divided light (FDL) grilles. This narrow spacer bar design minimizes the transfer of heat and cold to the interior surface, improving the overall thermal performance.

Removable interior wood grilles are secured via a fastener or grille clip and can be removed enabling you to easily clean the glass surface.

Not available on 100 Series products.

Finelight™ grilles-between-the-glass make interior windows and patio door glass easier to clean. Permanent grilles on the exterior provide architectural style and detail.

Available on 100 Series products only.

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