An important part of your air conditioning system performance is its air delivery system. The registers are at the end of this cycle and have a great impact on how well your home cools. Having the correct registers can make or break your comfort and your wallet during the summer months.
There are two different purposes for the registers in your home. Some are meant to deliver cool air to the living space and some are designed to return air back to the system. These are termed supply and return respectively. The following suggestions deal with the supply registers.
In the summer, cool air from the supply registers is heavier than the air in the room so we must deliver the cool air in an upward pattern to effectively mix the living space area. This will give a more even temperature between the ceiling and floor space. I have found registers in homes built before 1965 that were not designed for cooling. These registers have an air pattern that delivers airflow to the floor rather than blowing the air upwards. While these are excellent heating registers they will cause the air conditioning to run much longer cycles than necessary. If you have an older home you can identify this type of register by looking at its louvers. If the louvers are slanted towards the floor, you might consider replacing them with a more modern style register that has adjustable louvers. These registers are approximately $50.00 installed. Or, a much more affordable solution is to pick up a set of deflectors. These innovative devices are made of clear plastic and simply attach to your existing registers with included magnets. When installed correctly, the deflector will direct the air straight up towards the ceiling. These may not look as nice, but the increase in performance and money saved is well worth it. The cost of these deflectors is more reasonable at $15.00 each and you can install them yourself. You should only use these during the summer months. For heating, take them off and store them until next year.
For those of you with modern style registers, take time to inspect the supply and return registers. Make sure nothing is in the path of its airflow and that its damper is fully open. These simple steps will save you money and allow your air conditioner to cool your home comfortably.