In recent years, we have seen a wider adoption of “smart technology” in many aspects of our daily life. Some implementations have been more successful than others, but one recent advance in the HVAC field may be a good fit for your home. Smart vents are vents that can open and close automatically to give you better control over the airflow in your home. This may seem strange; after all, you can simply open and close vents manually at any time. But, smart vents can do that work for you, they can improve efficiency, and they may save you money at the same time. In this article, we will take a closer look at how smart vents work to help you make an informed decision if they are right for your home.
What is the Purpose of Smart Vents?
Have you ever wandered into certain areas of your home and discovered that they are cooler or hotter than others? When there are uneven temperatures in a home, it can lead to a number of problems and lower the overall efficiency of your HVAC system. Closed vents can reduce the airflow, which may overwork the heating and cooling equipment. When systems are running in this way, they are more prone to failure, and they drive up the energy bill at the same time. Smart vents are designed to handle these problems automatically, which takes the pressure off you to remember which vents are open or closed.
What Makes These Vents Smart?
Smart vents can be controlled remotely, but it’s the sensors that make all the difference. These units leverage the power of the sensors and an internet connection to make them an efficient way to control your vents. The sensors will automatically detect when a person enters or leaves a room and make adjustments in real time. The programming can help you to make very precise changes in temperature inside a single room. The functionality is extended to every occupied room in the home with no input required from the homeowner. If you want to control the system remotely, there is an app that you can use on your smartphone or favorite mobile device.
Are Smart Vents Worth the Investment?
One of the best things about smart vents is that they can automatically close or partially close the vents when someone leaves a room. This may not seem like a big deal, but this does save energy on heating a room that is empty. This is a small energy saving, but you can start to see the potential when you extrapolate that functionality across an entire home for a year. It’s estimated that homeowners in the U.S. spend around half of their home energy bills on cooling and heating! So, anything that can help you to lower those costs is well worth investigating, and smart vents can certainly lower your energy bills.
How Much Do Smart Vents Cost?
This is a hard question to answer, there are many smart vent models on the market, and the number that you need will vary depending on the size of your home. As a rough guide, you can expect to pay $200 for a starter kit that includes a single vent and sensor unit. If you want a higher end model, you can pay up to $600 for a smart vent with all the latest features. If you shop around, you may be able to save money if you purchase multiple smart vents at the same time. If you want a more detailed quote that includes installation costs, contact your local HVAC specialist.
3 Key Considerations for a Smart Vent Installation
Before you go ahead and order one or more smart vents for your home, there are three key things that you need to bear in mind, they are:
- Integration
If you already have smart systems installed in your home, you need to ensure that your new equipment can be integrated easily. When you purchase a smart vent, check that it’s compatible with other smart equipment, including voice activations, smart speakers, smart appliances, and others. When smart systems are not integrated well, it can cause a number of problems that you want to avoid.
- Duct Sizes
If your rooms have duct openings, you need to make sure that the smart vent will fit. Ducts can vary a little in size, and if you want an easier life, you don’t want to get involved in adjusting the sizes. Simply measure the size of the ducts before you order your smart ducts to ensure that they will be a good match.
- Batteries
Smart ducts that are easier to install with simple DIY skills are typically powered with batteries. Before you commit to purchasing a vent, make sure that you can get the right size batteries to power the unit. If the smart vent can be powered with rechargeable batteries, that will help you to lower the running costs significantly.
How Do I Operate Smart Vents?
As a smart device, it’s pretty easy to set up a smart vent and get it working efficiently. Every smart vent should have an accompanying app that you can use on your smartphone or your favorite mobile device. As long as you have a connection, you can make remote adjustments to open and close vents at any time. But, the key to getting the most out of this system is to program the smart vents to work automatically. The default settings should take care of this for you, but the more elaborate systems will allow you to tailor the vents to a very precise degree.
Are Smart Vents Easy to Install?
The more basic smart vent models are pretty easy to install if you have some basic DIY skills. More elaborate systems may be more challenging for some people, and in these cases, it makes sense to get some help. If you’re interested in smart vents and you want some professional help, contact your local HVAC specialist today.