What Role an Air Diffuser Plays in Your Home’s HVAC System

How does your HVAC system distribute air throughout your home? How does it ensure that conditioned air is distributed evenly to avoid hot or cold spots? There are several methods, but one of them is an air diffuser. Keep reading to learn how it works and why it’s important.

What Are Air Diffusers?

A diffuser is a type of cover that goes over your vents. It has slats on it called deflectors, through which the air flows. They help the air flow more evenly, dispersing or diffusing it throughout the room. Without it, you would just have air blowing in one place. The area in the direct path of the airflow would get warm or cool much faster than the rest of the room.

Diffusers also help reduce the noise that the blowing air makes as it travels through the vents. They are most commonly used for supply vents, but they’re also sometimes used for return vents.

Air Diffusers, Registers, and Grilles

An air diffuser isn’t the only type of vent covering. The most common types are registers and grilles. All three are very similar, but there are key differences. Diffusers are typically mounted on the ceiling. The deflectors also tend to be arranged in a circular pattern rather than a rectangular one. However, neither of those is strictly necessary for a covering to be a diffuser.

The key difference is that in registers and grilles, the neck or inlet that feeds the air into your home is the same size as the face covering. This means air will flow through them straight. On registers, the slats can be adjusted to direct the air one way or the other.

In a diffuser, the inlet is smaller than the face. This allows air to flow through it at a 90-degree angle. This is why they’re often mounted on the ceiling. Rather than flowing straight down, the air can flow to the sides, providing a wider distribution.

For more help getting a balanced airflow in your home, contact us at Energy 1 Heating & Air Conditioning. We provide comfort and efficiency to Lorain, Elyria, and Oberlin homes.