As you walk around a house you are considering buying, there are likely several things that you will look at. The number of light switches and outlets, the integrity of the flooring and the walls, and the ages of the furnace and air conditioning unit, to name a few. However, there are other things that may also be important to pay attention to. For example, whether the vents are transfer grilles or air return grilles. Continue reading to learn more the difference between transfer grilles and return grilles.
What Is A Transfer Grille?
Transfer grilles are grates that are typically found in modular homes above doors within the home. These types of grilles look almost identical to air return grilles but are completely different operationally. Transfer grilles are found on either side of the wall, allowing air to transfer from one room to another without having to open the door. There is nothing that is connected to the transfer grille, it just offers a space where the air can flow from room to room.
What Is An Air Return Grille?
An air return can be located in many different parts of the home. Typically these large ducts are low to the floor and covered by a grate. Most of the time there will be an air return grille on every floor of your house, sometimes more depending on the size and layout of your house. Air returns are connected to a duct system that circulates air throughout the house. So even when a door is shut, air can reach and cycle through a room, keeping the room at a reasonable air level and temperature. Depending on the state or city, construction codes are beginning to require homes to have an air return in every room within a house.
Which Is Better?
We at Genuine Comfort find that air return grilles tend to be the better choice between transfer grilles and air return grilles. This is partly due to a privacy issue. Because transfer grilles connect two rooms or a room and a hallway, there is nothing that is blocking sound between the two areas. Private conversations and loud noises can easily be heard between two rooms, which can be rather annoying.
Air return grilles are also much more efficient at circulating air and keeping the home at a comfortable temperature. We recommend going with an air return grille over a transfer grille if you have a choice between the two. However, if you decide that a transfer grille would be more conducive to your satisfaction in your personal situation, we would be more than happy to help you get it installed.
Do You Need Heating Or Cooling Repairs?
We at Genuine Comfort are passionate about helping our customers keep their homes at the most comfortable temperature possible. Air conditioning and heating appliances are crucial to keeping your home at the optimal temperature– and when they stop working it’s a big problem. That is why we at Genuine Comfort offer excellent furnace and air conditioning repairs and maintenance services. If you are dealing with heating or cooling issues, you may want to consider reaching out to us. Our team is very experienced and knowledgeable and will be able to diagnose and fix your appliance’s problem quickly. For more information, feel free to reach out to us today.
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