We have kids with Legos in the house, and a bird that likes to shoot his birdseed across the room. I installed the heater and cold air return vents this summer, but I procrastinated and never did anything to protect the vents’ openings.
I’ve been so busy lately, so my husband did it for me. What did we do? We put screening over our vents.
The vents are a direct chute to the furnace, and it’s amazing how all the crud from the room finds its way into those vents.
I didn’t get any “after” camera shots of the screens installed. It’s a pretty easy installation. If your vents don’t have screening, I recommend it. Especially if you have kids or sloppy pets.
I was fortunate to find a great deal on old screening at summer’s end clearance at WalMart. The screening roll was a little busted up, but it didn’t matter. My husband measured the vent opening, and cut screening two inches wider and longer than needed. He cut short diagonal cuts at each corner, and carefully tucked the screens in the vent openings. Now I can can lift up the grate and vacuum out the seeds and stones, rather than hear them plink down to my furnace!
12. January 2008 at 2:48 am
Great idea Mrs Mecomber! I did that with mine two years ago when my daughter thought they were her personal cheerio chute. It sure does make cleaning them really easy.
12. January 2008 at 2:55 am
When i read your comment, I busted out laughing! Cheerio chute!!! and I thought Legos were bad!
12. January 2008 at 1:29 pm
Your covers are gorgeous! I bought fancy looking ones but they are to flimsy to stand up to the kids. We use an allergen filter in ours which also keep things out – unless we aren’t watching Twig closely and he takes the covers out! The white filters are not attractive but we’re felt better since we started using them.