a little vent

It really is a little vent...the heating and cooling kind of vent. It's here in my kitchen, beside the stove.
 (I will explain these other things in the photo)

It has been a problem vent and I'll tell you why.  Years ago, when I got new kitchen cabinets installed, the kitchen was reconfigured and that vent was re-routed.

The installer confidently told me there was no need for duct work leading all the way to the vent...the cabinet bottom would serve to channel the warm or cool air on out.

WRONG!

The warm or cool air seeped on up into the cabinet above and even the one next to it.  We should have called the company back out...but time passed and we didn't.

I looked around the home stores for something I could use to channel the air without having to remove the trim and kick plate. I knew if I took it off, I would never get it back together, looking as good as before.

Finally, I just filled up the area under there with this squashy foam...except for a path to the vent.
That helped out quite a bit, but I wasn't really happy with it.

Here's what it looked like inside that vent opening  That's some of the foam still under there...and a bit of 1970's wall paper showing,

When I noticed a sheet of  stiff foam "project board" at Lowes recently, I thought I might be able to rig up something more effective. 

I had to cut it in strips small enough to pass through that opening...

First I made a top section and then cut strips for the sides...which wedged the top up tightly to the bottom of the cabinet.  It took a whole lot longer than what it sounds like!

The operation was a success. The air doesn't seem to be leaking out into the cabinets and these smooth boards won't collect dust and dirt like the squishy foam.

Of course, I put the vent back over the opening too.