If you’re a homeowner, you’re constantly looking for ways to conserve electricity and lower bills. You might have heard about the idea of a smart vent (or seen it on Shark Tank recently), but the concept is a new one. What are smart vents, and how do they work?
Smart vents are registers that sense the temperature and amount of fresh air in a room and open or close depending on the measurements. Because they can feel the room and change the airflow automatically, Smart Vents control temperature and conserve energy better than regular vents.
This article will discuss smart vents and the various systems they can improve in a house. We’ll talk specifically about the smart vent fresh air systems, which bring fresh air from outside to cool down the home and increase healthy circulation.
What Is a Smart Vent Fresh Air System?
A smart vent fresh air system is a specific smart vent that takes fresh air from outside and helps it circulate within the house. It does this by sensing temperature inside and outside the home and bringing in cool air to refresh the old air inside.
When you install a smart vent fresh air system, you’ll install a thermostat in your attic and outside your house. All other smart vents will connect to your regular thermostat and heating system. The attic thermostat will sense when it is a few degrees warmer inside the house than outside and open a vent to allow fresh, cool air to circulate throughout your home.
The vent automatically closes as the house cools down, and the stale air inside the home is pushed up to the attic for more heat control. A fresh air system will save you money on cooling and increase your overall health and comfort.
What Does a Smart Vent Do?
A smart vent senses the temperature in a room and opens or closes to adjust it. With some smart vent systems, you can change rooms individually. Most plans have apps to control each of your vents and be warned if something is malfunctioning.
Regular air vents control the airflow to a room by being opened or closed. If a vent is closed, less air from the heating or cooling system enters that room. However, these registers need to be opened or closed manually to prevent excess airflow; they also have no control over where the air is coming from and recycle stale air throughout the house.
A smart vent looks like a regular vent but has a few extra components to make its automation necessary. These vents are generally connected to the thermostat in the room or have a thermostat to measure the temperature. They also have a motor so they can open and close automatically.
Smart vents work with the existing heating and cooling systems in the house. They don’t provide hot or cool air, but instead, they regulate it to increase the functionality of the HVAC system. Whether it’s sensing temperature inside the house or outside, a smart vent can increase your heating and cooling efficiency.
What Are the Benefits of Smart Vents?
Smart vents are good for both you and your home as they keep your air clean at all times so you can live comfortably. Fresh air systems track the outside and inside temperature to give you maximum comfort and clean air.
- Adjust the temperature in specific rooms
- Sense when no one is in the room
- Save energy
- Increase the comfort of your home
- Decrease the flow of unnecessary air
- Bring in fresh air
- Small initial investment
If you are considering investing in smart vents for your home, ensure that you have an HVAC professional assess your current air conditioning system.
Best Smart Vents
The Flair Smart Vent is compatible with Alexa and has a smartphone app. It is one of the least expensive smart vents on the market, and is highly rated. However, it needs a Flair Puck, which comes separately.
Keen Home Smart Vent was the original smart vent. It’s easily installed and compatible with most home vents. The manufacturer is known for their high quality vents with great customer service and installation rates.
The AC Infinity Airtap T4 has a thermometer built in and is inexpensive. It’s quiet and fits in a standard vent system with little intervention. If you don’t want to buy a separate piece of equipment or download an app, this smart vent is the one for you.
Final Thoughts
Smart vents are great for increasing the fresh air in your house and controlling the temperature. They sense when your home is warmer than the outside environment and allow fresh air through the vents in the house. Smart vents can also adjust the temperature in each room separately, helping you manage energy costs.
Sources
- Villara: Smart Vent Fresh Air Systems
- Modernize: Do Smart Vents Really Work?
- Keen Home: The Truth About Smart Vents