The Ultimate Guide to Choosing Decorative Vent Covers
Decorative vent covers have advanced beyond being HVAC accessories. Their primary function remains covering air vent openings while allowing airflow, but they are now considered to add to the aesthetic of a room. Floor, wall, and ceiling vents are visible in all parts of the home. Therefore, the right selection of decorative vent covers helps to achieve a coordinated and finished look for the entire home.
Picking the right vent cover is more involved than simply choosing an aesthetically pleasing design.
What are decorative vent covers?
These covers serve the dual purpose of protecting HVAC vent openings and providing design embellishment. Like standard covers, they allow the circulation of air and the protection of the openings from dust and dirt. Unlike standard vent covers, decorative vent covers are patterned and finished in ways that are pleasing to the eye and interior designs.
Types of Decorative Covers
Due to where they are meant to be installed, decorative vent covers are designed in a variety of types.
Floor Vent Covers
These vent covers are installed over duct openings in the different types of venting systems that are installed in the flooring. Because they are design elements of the flooring that are meant to be walked on, floor vent covers need to be tough.
Drop-in or flush mount covers are designed based on the type of flooring used in a space.
Wall Vent Covers
They send the air that has been heated or cooled out into the room horizontally. Decorative covers that are used on wall vents can be as simple as a cover that has a grille or they can be as complex as a full architectural feature.
Ceiling Vent Covers
These vent covers are usually paired with AC systems. They feature openings with shutters that can be angled to change the direction of airflow. Paired with decorative ceiling elements, these vent covers can be designed to fit in with the rest of the ceiling.
Choosing the Right Material
Depending on the design of the vent cover, materials can be naturally pretty, tough, easy to clean, or all of the above.
Steel
Steel vent covers can be tough and easy to clean. These tough vent covers can stand up to just about anything being walked on or dropped on them.
Cast Iron
Cast iron vent covers can be found in many designs and last a long time. Because of how long they last and how many designs they are found in, cast iron vent covers can be used in interiors that are designed in a more old-fashioned way.
Aluminum
Aluminum vent covers are lightweight and corrosion-resistant. These properties make aluminum vent covers an excellent choice for basements, kitchens, laundry rooms, and any other places where moisture may be present.
Wood
Wood vent covers are the perfect choice when installing hardwood floors. Wood vent covers that are sold unfinished are often able to be stained and finished to match the surrounding hardwood, making the vent cover blend in with the floor.
Popular Decorative Designs
Decorative vent covers come in a wide variety of styles to match different interior styles. Geometric Patterns feature modern designs with a repeating shape. Scroll Designs are a perfect choice for classic homes due to the curves and ornamentation.
Linear Designs are a minimalist choice, featuring long thin openings.
Laser-Cut Patterns have even more detail due to the laser cutting process yet still maintain the necessary openings for airflow.
Measurements
When choosing decorative vent covers, it is important to get the correct size. Make sure to measure the opening to the duct, not the old vent cover, to ensure adequate airflow through the new cover. When replacing several vent covers in the home, it is best to measure each vent opening individually as the sizes may differ room to room.
Maintenance Tips
To keep decorative vent covers functioning to their fullest potential, they must be cleaned regularly to prevent dust buildup.
Metal vent covers can be cleaned with a damp cloth along with a mild household cleaner. Wood vent covers require special care by the use of wood surface care products and should not be allowed to get overly moist.
Conclusion
When choosing decorative vent covers, the look and the cover’s ability to vent must be weighed against how long the covers will last. Cast iron, wood, and aluminum, to name a few, come in a variety of styles (i.e., geometric, scroll, linear) and types (i.e., wall, floor, and ceiling) of vent covers. By choosing the correct style, size, and finish, the vent covers can help support the background of the room, while still allowing seamless interior airflow. Choose a style of a cover that helps to make the decorative cover not only an appealing component to the room, but functional as well.