Proper direction of return vent vanes?

14 year old two-storey (with finished basement) house with heat pump. Two returns -- first floor and second floor, on wall near ceiling in "center" of house.

The return covers have directional "vanes" which can either be aimed down (pulling air from below the return) or up (pulling air from above return/ceiling level).

I feel it makes sense to aim the vanes downward during the winter to pull cooler air into the system to be heated and leave the existing warm air near the ceiling. And then in the summer reverse the return cover to it pulls the warmer air from the ceiling to be cooled and leaves the cooler air.

Is this crazy? If the covers should remain in one position, which direction should the vanes aim?

Thanks!

 

There is no proper direction for the vanes to point. If they're high sidewall, normally they would be pointed upward which makes them vision proof and just the opposite for low sidewall. Frankly the more open you can leave them the better for system operation. The last thing you would want is to restrict is return air.