Air conditioners work in two ways: they create cool air that is redirected into the room, and it pumps the hot air outside, causing the room temperature to drop significantly. Air passes through the air conditioner vent, which is an essential part of the HVAC system as it relieves the pressure inside the room, and filters out debris.
Whether you have a portable air conditioner, or a wall-mounted unit, the exhaust air in your room has to go somewhere! In this article, we take a look at what an air conditioner vent is, and how it helps balance the indoor air quality in your room.
What is an Air Conditioner Vent?
An air conditioner vent is a small opening located at the face, and back of your air conditioner. The exhaust vent is responsible for expelling the warm air outside, while the indoor vents are responsible for filtering out the air, and redirecting cooled air into the room. In a duct system, the air conditioner vents may be connected, and routed throughout the home.
In portable air conditioners, the AC vent hose is installed to redirect the warm air outdoors. Portable air conditioner venting is also called an exhaust hose, and is an integral part of any portable AC unit. Window units have the indoor and outdoor vents located in one unit, while split systems have separate vents per indoor unit, and outdoor unit.
The Importance of Aircon Vents
1. They Help Maintain Air Pressure
Any functioning aircon system — including an HVAC one — operates by heating and cooling air for indoor air production. Once the air that is conditioned gets pushed in, the existing air inside the house or space needs to get pushed out.
The aircon vent is responsible for this purpose, helping the aircon system to pull the indoor air back and release it outwards. This process is also what allows people to get and maintain proper air pressure from their aircon at home or in the office.
Simply put, the aircon vent allows for better airflow in any enclosed space so you can breathe and feel better.
2. They Help the Aircon Filter Out Debris and Preserve Air Quality
Hate all types of dust, dirt and any air impurity? If your answer’s yes, then you have the aircon system and vent to thank for. Like any home or office space, enclosed spaces are prone to accumulating large amounts of tiny to invisible pollutants in any given time. When inhaled, these harsh elements can pose serious health risks and trigger different allergy-related attacks.
The air conditioner combats these harsh pollutants by absorbing air through the filter and trapping any contaminant that can make its way inside. The aircon vent will also support this process by regulating the air inside and getting rid of any of these impurities.
3. They Improve Aircon Performance and Reduce Energy Consumption
Along with a well-performing aircon system, having properly installed ducts and aircon vents can also help you save on electricity costs every month. This is because the air conditioning unit or aircon system will be performing at its tip-top shape, thus reducing the need for more power and energy consumption to deliver quality air production.
Diagnosing a Faulty Aircon Vent
#1 Blocked AC Unit Vents
A blocked ventilation zone is a common occurrence with air conditioning systems. This happens with a large piece of furniture, or a wall covers the air vents of cooling systems, obstructing the airflow around the room.
This problem is easily identifiable as you may notice the AC unit not blowing cool air into the room, and a large obstruction is in the way of the vents. Simply remove the furniture or debris obstructing the vents to let the air circulation around the room flow.
#2 Frozen Air Conditioning Vents
Frozen AC units and air conditioning vents are a result of dirty filters, or a refrigerant leak. If the source of the problem is a dirty filter, cleaning the filter with soap and water should fix the problem. However, if you notice a hissing sound, and smell the odor of chloroform coming from your AC unit, you most likely have a refrigerant leak.
To fix a frozen AC vent, unplug the unit and let the ice thaw. Contact a Luce Aircon licensed HVAC technician to find and fix the leak for you, and top up the refrigerant levels to regain the cooling effect of your air conditioner. Clean the vents, and test the AC unit to see whether this fix solved the problem.
#3 Dirty AC Vents
Much like a dryer vent or an exhaust fan, air conditioning vents are susceptible to gathering dust and debris as they filter out grime from the air. Whether you have a wall vent, an indoor vent, or duct systems, the outside air that passes through these vents carry dust that the AC unit filters out, accumulating dirt in the vents over time.
When the vents are dirty, the dust can obstruct airflow. You may notice your AC unit blowing warm air instead of cool air into the room, and the unit may make a loud, whirring noise. Cleaning the filters and the vents of your air conditioner should solve the problem.
Why Choose Luce?
Luce Aircon is the leading partner in air conditioner cleaning, maintenance, and repair services in Singapore. Our team of licensed HVAC professionals have decades' worth of aircon knowledge, and are able to assess air conditioners across different brands and models! With Luce Aircon, maintaining your cooling system has never been easier!
Give us a call today, and let us know what we can do to provide you with the best aircon services!
