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  • Smart HVAC Vents are a Smart Idea

    If you’re like many Americans who are interested in saving money and technology, you may have invested in a smart thermostat. Even if you aren’t using one now, you’ve probably heard of them. While most people know about smart thermostats, not everyone has heard about smart HVAC vents. What are smart HVAC vents and are they a smart investment?

    If you’ve purchased a smart thermostat, it makes sense to continue upgrading your home automation. One way to do this is by installing smart vents for your HVAC system. Before you do this, however, it’s important to understand what they are, what they do, and all the advantages (and disadvantages) of smart vents.

    What are Smart HVAC Vents?

    Most people don’t think about the air vents in their homes, but those vents are what control the airflow in your home.  With a traditional ventilation system, in order to open or close a vent, you have to get up and open or close vents manually. This is inconvenient and most people don’t routinely do this. However, if you don’t need to heat or cool a certain area of the home, closing the vent can save energy and money.

    Additionally, having greater control over the airflow in your home can give you more control over the climate of your home, allowing you to heat or cool your home more evenly without cold or hot spots.

    Typical HVAC systems are designed to regulate the temperature of your whole house, not a single room. Airflow is one way your heating and cooling system regulates the temperature of your house.

    Smart thermostats, while responsive, do not control the airflow in the home at all. Generally, they adjust the temperature throughout the whole house, not in individual rooms. The best way to have complete control of the temperature and airflow in your house is to install a smart ventilation system.

    Smart Vents Make a Smart HVAC Automation Smarter

    A smart thermostat paired with smart HVAC vents gives you complete control of the temperature in each room of your house. You can adjust the temperature in a single room, without altering the temperature of any other room by controlling the airflow. This is useful for rooms that are infrequently used, such as an extra guest room. You can save energy by not heating or cooling those rooms, without having to manually open or close the vents.

    If you’ve ever tried to heat or cool a two-story home, you know how difficult it can be to get the temperature even throughout the house.  In order to get the bottom floor comfortable, the top floor might feel like an oven. Smart vents can help with this. They not only make your home more comfortable, but they are also much more energy-efficient.

    What are the Advantages and Disadvantages of Smart HVAC vents?

    -Smart vents are generally affordable and easy to install.
    -You do not have to do a complete overhaul of your home’s air vents to take advantage of smart HVAC vents.  You can install smart vents in one or two rooms at a time.
    -When integrated with sensors they can be programmed to automatically turn off or on when nobody is in the room.
    -You can control your vents with an app or voice control.
    -They integrate with other smart home technology.
    -They allow your HVAC system to heat and cool your home more evenly. No more hot spots or cold spots.-They provide more energy savings than a smart thermostat alone.

    Disadvantages of Smart HVAC Vents

    -In order to use smart HVAC vents to work, you must purchase a separate smart thermostat. The thermostat works with both the smart vents and your home’s existing thermostat.

    -An HVAC system using two thermostats can potentially cause problems. For example, if you close off all the vents in your home, but continue forcing air through the system, it can potentially damage your HVAC system.

    -The motors that control the HVAC vents take up space which can sometimes cause reduced airflow.

    Overall, installing smart HVAC vents is a smart idea. Their affordable, easy to implement, and make a great addition to your smart HVAC automation. If you’re just getting started with smart home technology or automation, Intuitive AV is here to help with any questions you may have. We can answer any question you have, whether it be about installing a smart thermostat or designing a fully-automated home.