Sunday, February 4, 2018

Vents don't belong on the ceiling

The thermostat is on the wall about five feet above the floor.  This is the height at which a room's temperature is gauged for purposes of activating the central heat.

However, we humans live in the bottom half of the room.  When we sit, our heads are below the thermostat.  And if your home's vents are in the ceiling instead of near the floor, then you'll have problems staying warm.

During summer, when the air conditioning's running, it's not that big of a deal because cool air sinks.  During winter, though, the warm air pools at the top of the room.  The furnace has to keep running until it pushes enough hot air down to activate the thermostat.  But the air below the thermostat remains cold.  It's a recipe for having frozen feet all winter, regardless of how much you crank up the heat.

In conclusion, the ideal place for HVAC vents is either in the floor or in the walls near the floor.  That way, the climate control system is actually acting on the part of the room where you live, not the empty space above your head.

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