What Is the Purpose of a Return Air Vent?

Quick! How many types of air filters are there? How often should you replace your drip pan? Do you know how to unbend your AC coils?

HVAC professionals aside, most people don’t know a great deal about how their heating and air conditioning systems work. They know that they can switch from heating to cooling, and change the temperature range. And they can definitely tell if it’s not working properly.

And while for practical purposes, you don’t really need to know all the details of your air conditioner’s anatomy, there are certain parts that make sense to become familiar with. A return air vent is one of them.

Many are aware of the return air vent. Still, some might wonder, “What is the purpose of a return air vent?”

What Is a Return Air Vent?

When you turn on your air conditioner, you hear the system start to blow air out of vents on or near the ceiling. These are called supply vents.

However, the AC is not a magical box full of a never ending supply of cool air. The AC actually works by absorbing warm air out of your home, pulling the moisture out of it, and delivering that deliciously cold air back to your home.

So when you turn on your AC, what you hear is only half of the work being done. The first half is done by the return air vents. These are the vents that are near or on the floor. They are an integral part of your AC system. That’s what your AC uses to pull the hot air out of your house.

3 Things Your Return Air Vent Does for Your AC System

The answer is not as straightforward as one might think because the return air vent actually fulfills several purposes.

1. Maintains Air Pressure

We all hope that our homes have efficient, properly sealed heating and cooling systems. While few houses are truly airtight, most come very close using new construction methods and insulation.

The supply vents in the AC system push air into the home after cooling it. All this air needs to go somewhere to keep the air pressure from building, and the return air vent helps maintain this balance.

2. Reduces Energy Costs

An efficient return air vent can reduce energy costs by recirculating air that is at or near the desired temperature back through the system. By capitalizing on the already heated or cooled air, the system works “smarter” and does not waste energy reheating or recooling. A malfunctioning system might misuse energy working harder than necessary.

3. Traps Airborne Particles

Inside the return air vents are changeable air filters, which are the same filters we encourage customers to replace every two months at a minimum (you may have to do it more or less often, depending on how big your home is, how many people live in it, whether you have any pets, whether anyone smokes, and whether any family member has allergies).
Some systems have additional filters inside that require professional technicians to change, but all have filters that should regularly be replaced to maintain indoor air quality.

How to Maintain Your Return Air Vents

Maintenance of return vents is easy. You simply have to:

1. Clean them regularly. Don’t let them get caked with dust. You don’t even have to spend time spraying and wiping them. Just get your vacuum cleaner hose on them once in a while.

2. Change your air filters regularly. If you don’t, dust and debris will block the air flow. This can cause so many different issues with your AC: the coils may start to freeze, the AC will work harder (which will make your electric bill go up), you’ll get poor air quality in your home. Do yourself and your entire family a favor and change the filters regularly.

3. Don’t block the return air vents. When decorating your home, make sure that vents aren’t blocked by furniture or covered by drapes or rugs.

Contact Blair’s Air for Professional AC Service in Tampa Bay

If you have any issues with your AC, let us know. Our experienced HVAC professionals will get it back up and running in no time. We offer 24/7 emergency AC repair services, and we are open 365 days a year.

And if it’s already working properly, we can still do a maintenance check to ensure that your home is ready for the summer.

Call 727-592-8479 to schedule service.