What Is the Difference Between Air Vents, Grills and Registers?

If you’ve got central heating or cooling in your home then you are used to seeing the vents, grills and registers found throughout your house. But how do you know the difference in what’s what and which vent goes where?

We want to break it down for you so you can know what you’re looking at. It can come in handy for your own home projects, as well as describing problems to a trusted technician.

Vents

We’ll start with the broadest term first. A vent is the term used for all supply and return air sources to your heating or cooling system. All registers, grills, etc. are vent covers. Most homes also have other types of vents like the dryer vent, bathroom vent or kitchen vent above the stove, but we’re not talking about those types of vents when we refer to registers, grills and air vent covers. Just like all sedans, convertibles, coupes and hatchbacks are cars, but it’s the variances between these types that make all the difference.

Registers

The supply vent (meaning the vent from which the hot or cold air is coming into your home) of your HVAC system is covered by a register. A register has a damper and this is what sets it apart from other vent covers and grills. The damper is usually a lever or some other type of mechanism that allows you to open or close your register. This can help you manage the heat or coolness in a room, as well as redirect airflow.

Grills

Grills (also spelled grilles) are coverings on the return air vents of your HVAC system. Return vents do as their name suggests, they return air to your central heating or cooling system to condition it. Grills are very similar to registers except that they DO NOT have dampers. They have no method of opening or closing, rather they are fixed air vent covers that allow for proper airflow of the return air. In a good grill  you are looking for the best airflow possible.

The key thing to remember is that the main difference between a grill and a register is whether or not the cover can open and close. In addition, the register is for supply air, while a grill is for return air.