Can You Block a Return Air Vent with Furniture?

When rearranging your living room or your bedroom, finding the perfect spot for each furniture item seems like a puzzle. You take into account the pathway of the furniture, the angle of the sunlight, and where the TV should go. Usually, the most annoying thing when rearranging your room is the return air vent. It appears as though the return air vent grilles are placed on the same wall where you plan on putting your couch or bookshelf. Can you block a return air vent with furniture? You’re not alone in asking this question. 

As a company that supplies vent covers and registers, we know at Ventiques that it can be tempting to simply move a couch in front of a vent and forget that it is even there. However, we also know that you can expect a number of negative effects to occur as a direct result of that. Before you move that big section of couch up against the wall, we want to explain why that vent needs to be able to breathe.

The Vital Role of Return Air Vents

In order to grasp why it is not such a great idea to block a vent, it is first important to recognize what it actually does. Your Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) system is a loop system. The supply vents distribute the cooled/heated air into the rooms, and the return vents draw it back into the system. This air is then cooled/heated again.

You can compare your HVAC system to lungs. The return vent is where your system breathes in. If your system is not able to breathe in sufficient air because your return vent is blocked, then your system won't be able to breathe out conditioned air. This process is very important for maintaining the balance of air pressure in your house. If your airflow is not blocked, then your system is working properly.

The High Cost of Obstructed Airflow

The effect of an obstructed return air vent is not limited to a stuffy room. The first effect you will notice is the efficiency level dropping. This is because the moment a piece of furniture obstructs the airflow, your motor will work much harder to get air into the system. This will require more energy, and the end result will be an increased bill, even though you may not be using more.

But in addition to the monetary cost of the monthly bills, you also have the concern of physical damage to your HVAC system itself. With the airflow obstructed, the process of heating and cooling is compromised. 

During the summer months, this will mean that your evaporator coils will freeze over because of the lack of warm air circulating over them in order to prevent the formation of ice from the condensation buildup. During the winter months, the damage will be a cracked heat exchanger due to overheating because of the airflow obstruction. Repairing the damage will cost you far more than moving a chair a few inches.

How to Arrange Furniture Safely

The good thing is you don’t have to leave the whole wall bare to make room for the return vent. You can place furniture against the return vent if you know the proper distance to space them. The guideline many generally advise is to leave six to twelve inches between the object and the return vent. In this way, there is sufficient space for the air to flow around the object and into the return duct without making a vacuum. Using a metal vent can also provide a durable solution for both protection and aesthetic appeal.

The quality of furniture you have is another point that counts. A couch or chair with legs is much preferable to one that is solid and right against the wall, with no space between them and the floor. A piece of furniture with space between them and the floor will allow a smooth flow of air from the vent into the space. On the contrary, a solid bookcase, a heavy dresser, or heavy curtains right over a vent will shut off the whole system.

Airflow in Your Home: What to Consider

Your return air vents are the quiet servants of your home climate control systems. Even though they are certainly not the best-looking aspect of a room, they are a vital aspect of your air quality, temperature, and your wallet. We are always telling our clients to treat their heating and cooling systems with respect and keep these airways clean. 

When covering cold air return grilles or thinking about covering return air vent openings, it’s important to choose solutions that won’t impact airflow or system performance.

If your primary reason for blocking your vent has more to do with aesthetics, keep in mind that there are alternatives to simply covering it up. Rather than having your system efficiency compromised by your sofa, why not look for ways to improve your vent grille? We have decorative vent covers at Ventiques that help you transform what could be considered an ugly necessity!