In the modern world, a home is not complete without at least one air conditioning system.
Be it on the floors, the walls, or on the roofs.
The placement of these vents can be a little technical. Space is premium.
Sometimes, you find yourself placing furniture like cabinets, chairs, sofas beds, and tables over floor vents.
So, Can You Put A Cabinet Over A Floor Vent?
The answer to this question is a no. It is not advisable to have furniture like cabinets over floor vents if you have not devised mechanisms to ensure that the vent still functions. Once you lay cabinets over them you block the air pathway hence hindering the functioning of the system. Installing floor vents is one step ahead in improving the air conditioning of rooms.
But because you have to economize the space available, there are always great alternatives to solve this problem. You just need to get a little creative.
Many hacks can be applied to ensure that your floor vents still perform what they are designed for.
We focus on these tips in this article. Read on.
Why It Is Not Advisable To Put Cabinets over a Floor Vent
Anything that comes in the way of a floor vent compromises its functionality. In turn, the room experiences imbalance in temperatures and causes discomfort.
If you put your cabinets over these vents, that is exactly what happens. Cabinets will shut off the vents and stop air circulation.
So, when you are arranging your furniture, make sure that you create space over the vents so that they perform what they are designed to do: balance the room’s temperatures and maintain a serene air environment.
Here are 4 possible problems you will encounter if you place cabinets over a floor vent:
1. Upsurge In Electricity Bills
Obstacles in the way of floor vents force them to overwork to meet the conditioning demands.
That means it has to consume a larger amount of electricity than usual. Consequently, you experience a rise in utility bills.
2. Possible Breakdown Of The Vent
A blocked vent is forced to operate longer than usual.
As a result, parts of the system will wear down.
The lifespan of the vent is shortened. In some serious cases, the system may break down completely. It takes a lot of time and finances to do a replacement of such systems.
So, the least you want to do is subject them to wear and strain.
Usually, the heat exchanger of a blocked air conditioning system overheats. Such parts as the heat exchanger are equally very expensive to replace.
3. Possible Damage To Your Cabinets
If you put your cabinets over a floor vent, there is a possibility that you are exposing them to potential damage.
You are wondering why.
Well, vents are designed to circulate very cold and dry air to cool rooms. If your cabinets are made of wood, they can crack or shrink when exposed to these conditions.
It can also lead to an imbalance of the cabinets. Worse still, it can even lead to complete damage to the cabinets.
Additionally, condensation can occur at the interface between the vent and your cabinets.
The presence of moisture attracts molds.
These growths can be very destructive to wooden structures.
They wear down the finish on the surface of your cabinets. Just not to mention the health risks they expose you to.
If your cabinets break down, you will have to do an urgent replacement. That means you will have to create a new budget altogether. It can be a lot of stress.
4. Interference With The Room’s Air Conditioning
Vents are installed to circulate air in the room and maintain suitable temperatures.
If blocked, this job will be deterred as well. The result is an imbalance in the cooling and heating of the room. The room can get too hot or too cold.
Which Alternative Options Are Available For Putting Cabinets Over Floor Vents?
It is still possible to place cabinets over floor vents without interfering with their functioning.
But then that means you have to get a little more creative.
You want to economize on the available space while keeping other systems running amicably. We got you covered in this section.
1. Raise The Cabinets Over The Floor Vents
You can raise your cabinets some inches from the vents.
This gives them space and ensures that they function as they should.
Special air diverters are also available. Diverters help to redirect airflow underneath your cabinets.
You can improvise air diverters from plastic at home.
Or you can opt for manufactured diverters.
Make sure that they are fastened to the vents for proper redirection of air. You can use magnets or tapes to fasten them in place.
2. Redesigning The Cabinet’s Layout
Before installing cabinets, it is important to figure out how they will look when placed in your rooms.
If you find out that they will be put over floor vents, you can advise the local designers and manufacturers to adjust the layout.
That means leaving out some space underneath it for air to flow in and out of the vents with ease.
You can also opt for tall mobile cabinets that can allow some space underneath.
Ideas and Tips on How to Mask Floor Vents
After figuring out a desirable placement of cabinets in your home, you may find out that floor vents need to be hidden.
There are many ways to do that.
1. Painting
Painting has proven to be the easiest and the most preferred method of hiding floor vents.
After allowing some space under the cabinets, you may realize that the vents are standing out.
So, you may want to hide them and blend their color with that of the existing color theme.
The best way to achieve that color match is by selecting a paint that matches the floor and painting them completely.
2. Use Room Dividers
Special louvered room dividers can be used to mask floor vents that are close to the wall.
Usually, these materials are used to mask vents attached to the wall. But if your floor vents are close to the wall, they can still be very useful.
Floor Vents Maintenance Tips
Like other systems at home, it is important to assess the conditions of your floor vents at least thrice a month.
Any upcoming problems can be noted during these routine check-ups.
And that gives you ample time to repair and correct the damage before they get worse.
A routine check will also help you clear out any residues that have settled in the vents.
Such obstacles can affect the quality of the vent’s performance.
Keeping them tidy elongates the lifespan of the vents.
Should you find out that there is a need for a replacement, do not hesitate to do it?
You want to maintain a healthy and comfortable home environment and you should be willing to go any length to achieve this.
Conclusion
Cabinets can only be installed under over-floor vents if you have devised mechanisms to ensure a normal operation of the vents.
Otherwise, you may not want to have them there.
There should be no obstacles interfering with air circulations.
However, there are cool ways of putting the cabinets over floor vents and still ensuring that they work well. We hope this article has armed you with those timely tips.
