Floor registers are a useful way to heat a room quickly and effectively. This type of air duct is very useful for winter heating, but not as useful for successfully air conditioning a room with cooler air. As with any air vent, you’ll need floor register covers to match your décor, and control the way that air flows into the room. Unlike a standard floor vent there are a few more considerations you’ll have to make into how the vent fits into your room. But, as with any home improvement project, measuring is the best place to start.
Accurately measure the length and width of your floor register, so that you’ll have the size information on hand when shopping for a new cover. That way you’ll be able to consider your options without accidentally purchasing a cover that won’t fit on the vent in question. From there you can consider aesthetic as well as functional questions. There are vents that are more intended to serve a proper purpose, and then covers that are more about looking nice than actually controlling air flow.
The most important duct type for a room that is used by people fairly often, is a floor register cover that features air deflectors. That way, through the use of a lever, you can choose to open or close the air duct. This is useful for setting a different temperature in one room without affecting the rest of the household. Air deflectors are essential for any room that is commonly used, like a bedroom, or even a sitting room. Otherwise there are vents that simply serve as a means to cover the air duct for safety reasons, with no capabilities for local temperature control.
From here you’ll want to choose a vent that conforms to your needs, and also to the environment around you. Floor register covers typically come in both wood and metal frames. Metal is great for areas that get a lot of use, or covers that feature air deflection. Wood is best if you want to provide an antique and elegant look to your floor vent. But wood doesn’t stand up to time or extreme temperatures as well. Also keep in mind that a floor register is likely to be walked upon at one time or another, so choose a cover that can stand up to heavy use without a problem.
Hardware stores are usually the best place to go for floor register covers. Places like Home Depot and Ace Hardware should have more than a few options to cover your vents in different ways. Just remember to have your measurement information on hand when shopping, so you can determine whether or not a certain cover will work for your air duct. For a wider array of options than you’ll find locally, you might also consider using the internet to search. Websites like FloorRegisters.com have a massive selection of both metal and wooden designs in a wide number of shapes and sizes to fit any floor register.