Adding a Vent?

[HatDaddy]

Can you add a vent to your HVAC system?
My master bedroom in my condo only has one vent, therefore this is generally the warmest/coldest room in my place.
Can you add a vent to get more airflow into the room?
Any suggestions?

 

[brntorng]

You need to call an HVAC company. I've had this done and in my case it was an easy install since it was in the attic. I'd have liked another one on the first floor, but it was a much harder job so we blew it off. It's also possible that they can improve the air flow with what you already have installed.

 

[Crusher X]

Other things to consider before you add a vent:

1. Do you have a celing fan in the room? If not, add one. It will help air circulation. If you do have a ceiling fan, is it dropped far enough below your ceiling to provide good air circulation?

2. Is air leaking outside thorugh a gap on a window or door? Any hardware store sells this foam tape that you can put around your doors or windows to help seal them.

3. Add a floor standing fan. I know it won't look as nice, but they help alot.

 

[Luke Duke]

Yes it can be done, but it might be difficult if you don't have attic access.

 

[HatDaddy]

1. Yes, I do have a celing fan.
2. maybe at the front door, but not in my master Br.
3. yes there is attic access.
would this be an expensive job?

 

[Holden]

I would think this is fairly easy to do yourself. But, and my thinking may be off, I wonder how much additional air you would get??? If you take and splice a water hose into two, are you getting any more water out of the faucet? Seems the volume of water would stay the same, but just divided into halves. I would think this would apply to your additional vent. Yeah, you just put another hole in the room, but are you getting any additional air? If the answer is no, then the problem lies somewhere else. Maybe the vent you have is obstructed or the unit is too small for your condo. Or, as another has suggested, your losing air through leaks. Or, your room gets the afternoon sun. Insulation is a better solution if these are the causes.

 

[Bernard]

You shouldn't add a new vent. All you need to do is increase the size the vent, along with the ductwork that leads to the vent. It's quite easy. Any HVAC pro could do the job in an hour or so. You can likely do it yourself if you cared to. AC guys are busy right now. You'll get better service if you wait until November.

Have you tried adjusting the vents in the other rooms to restrict air flow to the other rooms and and force more air into the bedroom?

Bernard

 

[brntorng]

Since you have attic access this is an easy job for an HVAC tech and not very expensive to have done. He'll either increase the size of the existing ductwork or add another duct, depending on the situation. In my case he increased the size of the duct and vent and the room is now just as cool as the other rooms.

I have to respectfully disagree with the advice to close down other vents to force more cool air to the hot room. Any competent HVAC tech would agree. This approach will reduce the efficiency of your system and put a heavier load on your fan. The only time this is done is they'll add a damper to a duct that is over-cooling a room.

The advice to wait until cool weather is good. You'll pay a premium to get anyone to do it now. In the meantime, you may want to add solar screens to any windows that get direct sunlight. By far the cheapest thing you can do to reduce heat gain in a room.

Another thing you may be able to do in the meantime is replace the vent if it's a standard contractor grade. You can get vents that are less restrictive and will allow more air into the room. Remove your vent and take it to D A Warden at 817 Banyon if you're in Austin and they'll fix you up with a better vent. Very helpful folks. They helped me replace all my vents and it definitely improved the overall efficiency of the system.

 

[HatDaddy]

Yeah, I need to figure something out.
The LR,DR and kitchen all have larger vents. Since they are all openly connected it is nearly 3 degrees cooler there than in the master, which only has one vent.
If you have any suggestions on how to add a vent, shoot me a PM.
Gracias!!

 

[wolfman]

I had a couple of vents added 3 years ago when I had my A/C unit replaced. For some odd reason my bathrooms didnt have vents when the house was built. They charged me $135/vent. Not sure what a fair price is now.

I would try some simple things before adding the vents though. I would start by taking the advice already posted to adjust the vents in all rooms of your house, especially if your master is farther away from the plenum than the other units. I also recommend getting a HVAC pro to do any work.