What are Smart Vents?
Smart vents are used to regulate the temperature in specific rooms by limiting airflow from your heating and cooling system automatically. The goal is to eliminate hot and cold spots in your home, better balancing the overall temperature.
These battery powered vents are installed with wireless temperature sensors in select rooms. The sensors communicate with your thermostat and HVAC system in order to automatically open and close the vent to maintain the desired temperature. The vents can also be adjusted with your smartphone, and some brands even open and close depending if someone is detected in the room or not.
Smart vents are installed in place of your traditional HVAC floor, ceiling or wall vents (aka supply registers) with no disruption to your ductwork. This easy installation makes them less expensive than a zone controlled system. Smart vents are often used in rooms that are not used often, and in rooms where it is difficult to balance the temperature with the rest of the home.
In addition to comfort, manufacturers also suggest that you can reduce energy expenses through more efficient use of your HVAC system.
Smart Vent Benefits:
- Improves comfort in hard to heat/cool rooms
- Easy to install without a professional
- Less expensive than Zone HVAC Systems
- Reduces energy expenses
- Compatible with Alexa and Google Home
Smart vents vary quite a bit in price, but expect to pay about $200 for a starter kit with one vent and one sensor. A few vents may cost upwards of $600, but this is significantly less than a zone controlled HVAC system or ductless (mini split) installation. Check out two of the top brands for more pricing info: https://flair.co and https://keenhome.io.
Best Applications
Smart vents can be installed on almost any heating and cooling system, but a smart thermostat is required.
While there are full-home smart vent systems, these products are typically only suggested for a few locations/rooms in a home. Any radical changes in airflow can impact your heating and cooling system. When several registers in your home are closed, pressure within the system goes up, which can cause reduced efficiency and possibly damage. If you need more than a few smart vents, you should contact an HVAC professional to determine the correct implementation.
In some cases a zone control or ductless system may be a better solution. These systems allow you to independently adjust the temperature in different rooms or areas using traditional air ducts and registers, or small ductless units respectively. If you have significant temperature variations throughout your home, give us a call for a free assessment and estimate:
