Air vents and Aviary

[Pukasand]

I have a spare bedroom I'd like to make into a bird room. The only problem is, I'd like the birds to have access to the window and sunshine but, there's a heat/air vent on the floor below the window. Would it be okay to cover this vent completely? I don't want to lose a bird down the vent, or end up with creepy-crawlies in there from the seeds. Anyone else have this problem while constructing an indoor aviary?

[Ursula]

My sunroom didn't have any airvents when I turned it into an aviary....

I agree, I also would cover the vent completely. I don't think it effects the air/heat flow of the house too much if you just cover one of the vents...

[JohnBoy]

Yes cover the vent. The only effect will be a stronger air flow to the other rooms.

[cindy]

I would not block the air vent entirely. In Florida in every home we owned the air conditoner service people told us that it can freeze up you system, the air flow would be restricted and your system won't work correctly.

We learned the hard way and closed the vent down since one of the rooms at the end of the house was not used much. Our system froze up. Check with whatever company services your heat/air conditoner and ask if the vents can be closed and what it will do to the system.

They make little plastic hoods that you can put over the vent to divert the air flow elsewhere across the floor in a different direction. I think Lowes or Home Depot carries them.

[dfcauley]

I asked my husband (He has put in air conditions for fourty years)
He said covering one vent will not hurt anything. YOu can't cover a bunch of them, but one would not hurt a thing. Just clean your filters often.

[cartel]

Just my 2 cents but if you dont want to block it,you could just build a box around it to make the airway opening travel sideways instead.