Despite all the complaints about Christmas decorations showing up before Halloween, it is a good idea to start thinking about how your holiday decorations will affect and be affected by your HVAC system. Any holiday decoration, be it from Halloween, Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas, or another holiday, needs to be placed carefully. If you just throw things up on the walls and place decorations wherever you want, you could make your home less comfortable and a lot more of a mess.

Dead Trees

That holiday tree you've got sitting in the corner, possibly under or near a vent, will dry out and die a lot sooner than one you place away from a vent because of the constant dry air flow. Whether you're in an area that sees snowy winters requiring heater use, or you're in a southern area where Christmas sees heat waves and air conditioner use, you've got to move the tree away from the vent.

Blocked Vents

If you place fake webs and other light things near vents, you risk the decorations blocking the air flow out of the vents. That can ruin your decorations as they flap due to the air current and make your home feel uncomfortable because of the inconsistent air flow. And remember, these decorations don't have to be on the wall to cause a problem. A large tree in the center of the room, stretching to the ceiling, or a fun Halloween display, can also block part of the room from receiving an efficient flow of air from the vents.

Deck the Halls With Debris

Another reason to watch where you put the holiday decorations and keep them out of the path of air blowing out of a vent is that the air could blow debris all over your house. Got some loose tinsel hanging on a shelf near a vent? That tinsel could end up flying down the hall the next time the heater (or air conditioner, depending on where you live) turns on and starts blowing air out the vent. Plus, if you place decorations too close to the intake vent, your filter could quickly become clogged with bits of fake webs, pine needles, and glitter. Change your filter frequently during this time.

Have your HVAC system inspected before the holidays to ensure the ducts are open and the filters good. Talk to a service, such as Dick  Kearsley Service Center, about where they might suggest putting decorations to ensure you have as little trouble as possible.