Vents help to regulate temperatures in your home.
They ensure that there is a balanced heat circulation in the rooms.
Vents can be installed anywhere. Be it the walls, floors, or roof.
It is most likely for people to overlook these vents when placing furniture like cardboard in the home.
(And that begs the question) Is It Safe To Cover Heating Vents With Cardboard?
No. it is not advisable to cover heating vents with cardboard because it will obscure the circulation of heat and air. An obstacle in the way of heat and warm air compromises the working of the vents. Consequently, temperature regulation becomes even more problematic.
FIVE Reasons Why It Is Not Safe to Cover Vents With a Cardboard
Many people arrange stuff and furniture randomly.
In such cases, vents can be covered either out of your own volition or without your knowledge.
This can greatly hamper heat circulation in the room.
When arranging items, like furniture and cardboard, make sure that they are placed in such a way that they do not block any vent.
Here are 5 reasons why you should not block vents with cardboard:
1. Vents Can Cause Potential Damage To Your Cardboard
If you cover a vent with your cardboard, there is every chance that you are putting it at grave risk.
As they cool and heat the rooms, vents are designed to exude very cold and dry air.
As a result, parts of your cardboard can shrink or even crack.
Consequently, a horrible imbalance of the cardboard is experienced.
It may take a couple of months to get to this point, but the eventual damage can be massive and irreversible.
Condensation on the surface of your cardboard can is also a huge threat to it.
As the vents emit cold air, condensation can take place on the surface of the cardboard.
This moisture can seep into the components of the cardboard leading to a possible breakdown.
2. Mold And Mildew Development
Mold and mildew can develop in the presence of moisture.
Condensation on the surface of the cardboard creates ideal conditions for the growth of molds and mildew.
Apart from creating an awful smell in the room, molds and mildew can destroy your cardboard.
Besides, they have been linked to allergic diseases because of the particles they release as they reproduce.
3. Premature Wear And Breakdown Of The Vent System
Not only is your cardboard affected when you cover a vent with it. The vent system itself is greatly compromised.
You force them to overwork when you cover them with your cardboard. Such an intense strain causes them to wear.
They can even break down completely.
This reduces the lifespan of your vents. Not to mention that you will need more money to execute a replacement.
Under rigorous working, your vent’s heat exchanger can overheat.
If this happens unnoticed, the heat exchanger can completely break down or explore.
A replacement of such intricate parts of the system is equally very expensive.
4. Uneven Heating And Cooling
Often, vents are installed by qualified professionals.
They know where and how to place vents to ensure that your home or office receives maximum air and heat conditioning.
Should one of these vents be blocked or desist to function due to an error, the entire heat and air condition remain imbalanced.
Either your room will overheat or become extremely cold.
5. Possible Hike In Utility Charges
Vents use electricity to operate.
If any of your vents are blocked, it will be forced to overwork to meet the required temperature condition in the home.
This consumes more electricity.
The result is a sudden upsurge in electricity bills that you have to pay.
So, if you cover a vent with your cardboard, it will be forced to run longer than the usual time so that it can meet the required heating and cooling levels.
How to Place a Cardboard Where There Are Vents
The remedy to all situations mentioned earlier is to know where and how to place your cardboard when there are vents in the room.
Let’s face it.
Organizing cardboard in a room can be tricky. But you can always get it right.
Here are a few hacks.
1. Raise The Cardboard
If there is no way you can put your cardboard away from the vent, the trick is to raise it some inches from it.
From this point, diverters can be used to redirect the flow of air and heat.
This safeguards your cardboard from possible damage while ensuring that the vents work properly.
You want to ensure that furniture is amicably placed on top of a working vent rather than locking the vent with it. Most diverters have tape tidings. Use them to stick the diverters in place.
2. If There Are Wall Vents, Do Not Place The Cardboard Too Close To It
Diverters can equally be fitted onto the vents on the walls.
In case you have cardboard leaning against a wall with vents, make sure that it is some inches away from it. This gives the wall vent space to operate smoothly.
The same way you installed your floor vent diverters is the same approach you should use in placing diverters on the wall vents. T
hey are very helpful in protecting your cardboard from damage.
3. Do Not Place The Cardboard Over A Vent
If you find that none of the above methods works for you, all that you can do is make sure no vents come in the way of the cardboard.
You want to make sure that neither the cardboard nor the vent is damaged. so, the best solution is to take it away from the vent.
During vent installation, make sure that no vent is installed on the wall where you intend to place your cardboard.
Also, make sure that there are no vents installed on the floor where you intend to have your cardboard.
Wrapping up
Vents are useful in maintaining appropriate temperatures in the rooms. A modern building is not complete without vents.
Proper installation of vents is key to ensuring optimum temperature regulation.
Furniture can pose a little complication during the installation of vents.
Apply the procedures and guidelines we have highlighted in this article to properly place your cardboard. Both your vents and cardboard are protected from harm.
References
https://thecelebtimes.com/can-you-cover-a-vent-with-cardboard