# Question re: above door vents



## defchino11 (Mar 16, 2017)

Hello - total newbie here..sorry if this posting is in the wrong section!

My fiancee and I recently bought a bi-level home with a lower-level that was only framed out. We recently had some additional HVAC ran in the lower level and drywall put up, as well. When we returned to check the work out, we found these above the doors where the pass-through vents are supposed to go (see pictures)...does anyone know what these are? HVAC guys installed them but apparently we went with an extremely busy company, because we cannot get a hold of them or get an answer as to what these are!

Are these just placeholders of some kind?

Thanks in advance for any input!


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## Snoonyb (Mar 16, 2017)

They are rough-in boxes or boots that when the drywall is complete and painted, either the HVAC contractor will install diffusers or registers in.


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## Sparky617 (Mar 16, 2017)

They allow air flow from the room to the return air duct when the doors are closed.  I assume you only have a return duct in a central location in the basement and not in every room.  These will allow your rooms to heat and cool with the doors closed.  Without these, the rooms can become pressurized with the doors closed and not get heated effectively.

As Snoonyb points out they'll get registers installed as part of the finish work.


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## defchino11 (Mar 16, 2017)

After finally getting in touch with the contractors, it seems as if we are supposed to be installing the vents ourselves. They left them for us to install but did not give very clear instructions. Do the black plastic "boots" just get completely removed, do we just remove the film...just want to make sure we do this correctly. Thank you.


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## Snoonyb (Mar 16, 2017)

The plastic film is a protecterant intended to prevent the vents from accumulating debris, and the black plastic is to maintain the shape.


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## slownsteady (Mar 19, 2017)

Snoonyb said:


> The plastic film is a protecterant intended to prevent the vents from accumulating debris, and the black plastic is to maintain the shape.


Please elaborate as the OP was asking how to proceed.


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## Snoonyb (Mar 19, 2017)

Other than they are self explanatory, you remove the plastic film and you can either leave or remove the black plastic because the vent covers are flat.


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## frodo (Mar 20, 2017)

question i have,  does the sleeve have a flange to screw the register to ?
if not,  is it framed in so that there is wood to screw the register to ?

if nnot,  make the builder provide a means to secure the register to the wall


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## defchino11 (Mar 21, 2017)

frodo said:


> question i have,  does the sleeve have a flange to screw the register to ?
> if not,  is it framed in so that there is wood to screw the register to ?
> 
> if nnot,  make the builder provide a means to secure the register to the wall



Thank you for the reply!

It seems as though the sleeve is painted in/attached inside the wall, and there is really no removing it (besides removing the plastic film and black center piece of plastic). We have screwed the register direct into the wall almost right to the side of where the sleeve is located, and seems to work and hold tight.


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## defchino11 (Mar 21, 2017)

slownsteady said:


> Please elaborate as the OP was asking how to proceed.



Thank you! Always nice when people on these message boards take the time and effort to provide concise answers and suggestions instead of just assuming that we know everything!


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