You probably don’t think about your floor registers very often unless you’re opening or closing them to redirect airflow in your house. But even if you don’t notice it, dingy and damaged floor grates can affect the look and feel of your house. Whether you want to make minor improvements before selling or feel better about your home, start with your floor registers for an affordable update.
Why Should I Buy Replacement Floor Registers?
Floor registers help with heating and cooling your home, but they can also serve a decorative purpose. Unfortunately, since they are located on the floor, sometimes in relatively high-traffic areas, they can quickly become dirty and dented. Between being walked over, vacuumed over, and speckled with paint from your last home improvement project, your air vents may have seen better days.
Signs It’s Time to Replace Floor Registers
Here are a few signs that it might be time to update your old floor vents:
- Dented or worn down
- Outdated style
- Colored with paint
- Stained with varnish
- Marker or other unwanted damage from kids
Though replacing your floor registers is mostly cosmetic, dented and worn-down vents can be more difficult to open and close. The last thing you want is a room that never gets warm because the vent is stuck.
Also, if you are moving into an older home, it’s a good idea to replace the vents immediately since they could have been finished with lead-based paint.
Buying Replacement Floor Registers
When buying replacement floor registers, your first step should be to measure your vent openings.
Register sizes are based on the size of the duct opening, not the size of the faceplate. Therefore, you’ll need to remove the old floor register before taking measurements. Vent covers can range from 2 ¼ x 10 inches to 8 x 14 inches. Yours will likely be somewhere in the middle.
Once you know what sizes to look for, take a trip to your local hardware store or check online for your preferred style. Registers usually cost about $7-8 apiece, but more intricate styles and higher quality materials, like cast iron, can be more expensive.
Installing Floor Registers
Now that you have your new registers, remove and replace the old ones. They should be easy to remove by lifting straight up. And if you purchased the right size, your new heating grates should slide in easily.
While you are updating your air registers, take a quick look inside. If it’s dusty, dirty, or simply disgusting, then it’s likely time to have your air ducts professionally cleaned.
Give Your Home a Fresh Look & Fresh Air | Planet Duct
At Planet Duct in Colorado Springs, we want to educate our neighbors about the importance of having their air ducts professionally cleaned. After cleaning, your system will be more efficient, you’ll have lower electricity bills, and your indoor air quality will improve. Contact our team of courteous, NADCA-certified professionals to learn more about how we can help your home or commercial space.
