All About Heat Registers

If you can't stand the heat, close the register

Most everyone knows that heat registers are metal or wood vents placed at the end of furnace ducts to regulate the flow of warm air into a room. But the origins of the term heat register are not so commonly understood.

"Register" is an English word used to describe a great many things, typically books and lists. But heat register comes from the term "register" in relation to organ pipes. An organ register was a stop that controlled a certain tonal range, and this connection with airflow eventually led to the words use in connection with furnaces.

How heat registers work

Just as organs make sound by means of stopping and releasing air forced into the organ pipes, heat registers permit or stop the flow of warm air from a furnace. Heat registers are often found near the floor next to a door or window, which is why they're also sometimes called baseboard heat registers. (The well-known fact that house pets are often found near heat registers has yet to lend itself to their being called cat or dog registers.)

Heat registers are placed in those spots because cold air from outside a room typically enters through window and door openings. Heat registers cause heated air from the furnace to move up walls and across the ceiling and through the cold air return grill.

Closing heat registers in unused rooms can reduce energy costs and improve furnace efficiency. This is typically done via a thumbwheel that turns the heat register cover closed. But such a tactic should not be used excessively, as central-forced air systems need to maintain proper pressure, and closing too many heat registers can actually cause heating equipment to work harder rather than easier.

Heat register materials

Most heat registers are made from wood or metal and positioned in a rooms floor without the aid of any attachments. Wall or ceiling mounted heat registers must be fastened with screws.

If you've ever taken a tour through an old house, you've probably noticed that heat registers can actually be very striking and beautiful. Many heat registers feature a functional checkerboard or slatted design, but antique heat registers often display real artistic ingenuity.

For example, opera grilles - named because of their use in 19th-century opera houses - are made from cast aluminum and feature ornate decorative scroll work. Opera grilles can be round or rectangular, and are often painted white or black.

Cast-iron heat registers provide a heavier and more primitive decorative appearance, while cast-bronze heat registers feature simple and durable beauty. Because metal heat registers typically use an open-face design, magnetic heat register covers are necessary to close them. However, heat register covers are inexpensive and easy to find.

Wood heat registers are more common today than metal. Red and white oak, white and yellow pine, birch, maple, cherry, and mahogany are just some of the many woods used in the making of wood heat registers. The natural coloring and texture of these woods and the ease with which wood heat registers can be given an exterior finish make them an easy choice for old and new homes alike.

More information on heat registers