Floor vents are additional home air conditioning systems.
They help keep your rooms properly aerated and cooled and warmed accordingly.
A properly conditioned home is a comfortable place to be.
But in some cases, these vents can be affected by moisture which affects their performance.
So, What Happens If Water Gets In Floor Vents?
Water has a destructive effect if it gets into your floor vents. It has the potential to block the vents, cause mold and mildew developments among other related problems. In this article, we have carried out intense research on the effects of water and moisture accumulation in your vents.
We have also added useful tips on how to avoid such problems. Keep reading.
What Causes Water To Get Into Floor Vents?
Perhaps you should first understand how water finds its way into vents. This is the surest way to bring solutions in case you experience such a problem.
It is a common occurrence for moisture to accumulate in the air vents.
Here are two major causes of water in the floor vents:
1. Leaks From Pipes
Leaks from ruptured pipes and stray water spills on the floor can fill the vent with moisture and compromise their efficiency.
Your pipes should be checked to ensure that they are always in proper condition.
Assess them regularly to ascertain that there are no cracks or flaws in them.
Should you notice such problems, then you must act swiftly to reverse the conditions to normalcy.
This may require you to carry out a complete replacement of the pipework.
Aside from saving your vents, it is also a great way to secure your home structure and property from destruction by water.
2. Condensation Of Water In The Conditioning System
Condensation of moisture in the vents can also lead to the accumulation of water in the ducts.
This is usually common on the cooling coils of the system.
Once they condense, the moisture finds its way into the inside of the system and poses potential damage and other serious damages associated with water like molds and mildew developments.
The air temperature at the cooling point is usually cooler than that of the surrounding environment and that is where condensation is made possible.
Modern cooling systems, however, are making great advancements.
Newer technologies have made it possible to compact this problem by having them fitted with mechanisms that extract moisture.
This prevents any possible destruction of the ductwork.
Improper air duct installation and poor systems can still cause condensation issues.
It is, therefore, a prudent idea to assess the condition of the system before, during, and after installation.
What Happens When Water Gets Into The Floor Vents?
Water can be very destructive if not handled with great care. Keep reading the next section to understand what happens exactly when water enters your floor vents.
1. Potential Mold And Mildew Development
Molds and mildew are plant growths that thrive very well where there is moisture, your vents can be an ideal place for such growths.
These growths are associated with a lot of destructive effects.
Firstly, they compromise the integrity of your home structure.
Molds can eat away parts where they grow. With time, such effects wreak down the part of your building where they develop.
Additionally, molds and mildew cause the development of a very bad odor in homes.
The least you expect in your home is a bad smell. It causes a lot of discomforts.
See Also: Why Is Your Bedroom Floor Wet When It Rains?
Such growths are also known to pose allergic conditions.
They release spores that float in the air.
When you inhale them, they cause allergic reactions in the body. People with asthma and breathing problems are often serious victims.
2. Destruction Of The Vent And Air Conditioning System
As we mentioned, water can be very destructive to structures.
Your air conditioning is no exception. Rusting occurs due to the presence of moisture.
If your air conditioning is exposed to water, rusting occurs.
Consequently, gradual corrosion of the system’s parts takes place. Eventually, the whole system starts breaking down or is destroyed completely.
Luckily, modern vents are designed to withstand rusting and corrosion effects. But that does not mean they are not vulnerable to corrosion due to water contact.
3. Poor Aeration Of The Rooms
Floor vents are installed to ensure a healthy inflow and outflow of air in rooms.
If water gets in them, it will block this circulation. Your room is thus rendered poorly aerated.
So, water in vents compromises the efficiency and working of the vents. In serious cases, water may bock these vents completely.
4. Possible Destruction Of The House Structure
Water may sip in through the vents and destroy the understructure of your home.
Water can find its way into the very foundations of the building and cause instability issues.
Well, that puts your hose at the brink of collapse. In turn, the lives of the occupants are equally jeopardized.
Water may also destroy other parts of the house apart from the foundations.
This affects the strength of building materials and consequently the integrity of the house.
How Can You Reduce Build-Up Of Moisture In The Floor Vents?
1. Fix The Source Of Water
Be it a water leak, careless water spilling on the floor, or a poorly fitted pipe, the water source should be cut off.
Repairs should be done as soon as a problem is noted. If your humidifier has cracks in it, then it should be turned down.
The bottom line is that once you can combat the water and moisture source, you stop all problems.
So, look around for moister sources and fix them immediately.
2. Install A Hygrometer
A hygrometer is an instrument that measures the level of moisture in a place.
It is designed with a dry and wet bulb that acts as a thermometer.
The relative humidity of a place is estimated by comparing these two bulbs. You should be alerted to any abnormal levels.
3. Seal Unused Vents
As we mentioned earlier, condensation can take place near the vents because of changes in the temperature of the air.
To avoid condensation, you can opt to switch off vents that are not useful.
You can always turn them back n when you feel the hose temperature and the air is getting too uncomfortable.
Also, consider insulating cold parts of the vents and ducts.
Insulation reduces the condensation of moisture on the cold duct parts. Additionally, you can circulate warm air in such cold ducts to prevent condensation.
4. Carry Out Professional Duct Cleaning
In extremely cold regions, water can solidify to ice inside the vents. This blocks them completely.
That is why your vent and ducts must be cleaned by a professional once in a while.
Hire somebody who can clean the fixtures very well to rid them of any dirt, moisture, and residues.
This ensures optimum working conditions of the vents and serene air environments in your rooms.
Final Words
Vents are crucial air conditioning systems in modern homes.
They ensure proper air circulation and contribute to keeping the home healthy and properly aerated.
Water and moisture accumulation can lead to inefficiency in their operation.
They can also affect and destroy the vent itself, the house structure among other health challenges.
Keep your vent cleaned and rid it of moisture.
Related
References
https://restorationmasterfinder.com/restoration/how-to-get-water-out-of-air-ducts/
