A vent is a simple passage for the flow of gases, usually air. Similarly, a foundation vent is a vent that is a passage for air installed in houses. They have a very simple system to attract cool, moist air from the soil or ground. This moisture interacts with the warm air inside the house, especially in summer, which results in dry and normal room air.
Foundation vents aren’t hard to understand, but how they are placed and what maintenance they need matters. As you take care of your chimney and its vents, you must also care for foundation vents. However, foundation vents do not need as much cleaning as other vents in your house. Their maintenance depends on whether they were closed at the right time, closed correctly or not, and the wear and tear with time.
The foundation vents do not have complex working, but to understand how they work and where to place them, you can find more information on the internet. But what is essential to know is whether having them in your homes is necessary or not. Or why do you need these vents?
Why Do You Need Foundation Vents?
The circulation of air and controlling humidity and temperature in your homes can be done with the help of foundation vents. It’s a more natural method instead of using air conditioners or coolers. While many people prefer to use comfortable equipment ready for instant use, foundation vents cut down a lot of bucks. Here only the natural air circulates, which is a natural process; thus, no electricity bill gets generated.
The foundation vents do not cost much and don’t need much maintenance after installation. In comparison, the air conditioners commonly used for a similar purpose need timely care. Though you should keep in mind that if it’s too hot in summer, it will not be as effective as you need it to be. But if it’s winter, you must close off the vents to avoid moisture and cold air.
So the necessity of foundation vents depends on your choice. If you want a cheaper option and live in places with mild heat in summers or throughout the year, then it’s a must to have these vents. Whereas if you live in an area with extreme weather conditions, it might not be the best effect, but it could save you some bucks.
3 Things You Should Know About Foundation Vents
A foundation vent’s circulation of air and space requirements is customizable and interconnected. Thus you don’t have to enquire about them before looking for their options. What matters is the foundation vent’s purpose, type, and quality. Also, knowing its condition is crucial if you have a previously installed foundation vent but weren’t aware of it.
● Types Of Vents
According to its purpose and requirement, foundation vents have commonly used in three types. These three types are manual, temperature, and power vents. The first type is the manual vents or ducts are the easiest to install and can be found easily in the nearby hardware shops. However, you would have to be careful of the weather and close them when the winter comes.
Temperature ducts, in comparison to manual ones, have a coil attached to the ducts. These coils are temperature sensitive and do not need to be checked throughout the year as they close and open on their own. The power ducts in competition to the two above aren’t usually used if the humidity in the crawling space is not high or wet. The power duct has a fan especially for sucking the air from the outside and circulating it in the vicinity to keep it dry.
While you can easily find and install the temperature and manual ducts, power ducts are difficult to install. You need assistance and even guidance to install power ducts if you were to do it yourself.
● Previous Installed Vents
If you already had ducts installed but didn’t remember or bought a house that had these ducts but didn’t know, you need to check on their condition. You need to know the state of the crawl space, the foundation duct, how dirty the inner space is, and the condition of the material of the vent. It will help you in deciding whether you want to renew the previous duct or install a new one.
Though renewing a foundation vent is not recommended as it might collapse in a few years as you did not pay attention to it for a long time in the past. Also, the damage moisture leaves in the duct when it’s not in use can make the material of the duct vulnerable and easily collapse.
● Quality Of Vents
The quality of the ducts tells you the quality of the material and manufacturing of that vent. With the availability of ducts infused with tech, people do not pay much attention to the material and end up having to replace their ducts in a few years or even months. To ensure that the quality of the ducts is up to the level, you should ensure that the material is rust-free, flexible, and shouldn’t be sensitive to temperature.
Along with those three features, you should also check the finishing of the ducts. That is, the duct should be evenly leveled and shouldn’t have any ends sharp enough to hurt anyone.
Conclusion
A foundation vent is a very natural and money-saving option to maintain the temperature and humidity in your home. When opting for one, you should be aware of the condition of your crawling space and the humidity present. After thoroughly checking your needs and requirements, decide the type of foundation duct you need. Preferably ask a professional to install the ducts so that you can get your queries answered regarding the maintenance and needs of the duct.
A foundation duct is a constructive solution for humidity issues; hence they could never be useless for your homes. At the same time, it depends on you to access whether you need them or not.
