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COMFORT BLOG

Jan 19, 2021 1:15:24 PM by Joe Berardi

This Popular Internet "Heating Hack" Will Cost More Than it Saves!

cold women bundled up

If you have ever researched how to save heating costs and increase efficiency during the Winter months, you have most likely came across one infamous suggestion; "Close the vents in the rooms you don't use, it will redirect the air into other rooms!"

WRONG!!!!!

It makes sense to think this may work, however, this is not how your system functions! An HVAC system, such as a furnace, heat pump, or AC, is designed proportionately to equal the home's unique size and heating or cooling needs. Even if you close vents, the system is still going to run at its designed output. 

See why closing vents will end up costing more than it saves belowVisit the Learning Library

Four Reasons to Keep Your Vents Open

  1. Avoid Pressure Issues
  2. Limit Strain on the System
  3. Counter Heat Imbalances
  4. Reduce the Growth of Mold

Request a Free Heating Consultation!

Avoiding pressure issues

man looking at white heater vent

As your furnace, heat pump, or air conditioner turns on, a blower or air handler forces air through the ducts and into the rooms of your home. When vents are closed, it causes a pressure buildup within the system and causes an increased chance of duct leaks.

When duct leaks occur, treated air will escape the system and leak into the walls that house the ductwork. When this happens, rooms will not receive the tempered air needed, forcing the system to run more often. This will then lead to higher energy costs, costing you more money! 

Limiting system strain

An HVAC system functions in two ways; drawing in air and then supplying the treated air into the home. Due to this, the ductwork is designed in conjunction with those two functions. There are both  supply vents and return vents. Supply vents provide the heated or cooled air into the rooms of your home, while the return vents draw the air back into the system. 

By closing supply vents, a negative pressure is created, which gives the system a harder time pulling in air through returns. With the increased strain to draw in enough air to recirculate, the chances of damage to a heat exchanger or air conditioner compressor is greatly increased. 

The increased running of the system and increased chance of damage will lead to higher repair costs and reduced life of your system.

Request a Free Cooling Consultation!

Counter heat imbalances

By closing off the vents in a specific room, it will naturally become colder than the others. This creates a heat-drawing effect, resulting in the colder room sucking heat from the surrounding rooms through the walls, floor, and ceiling.

When this happens, the heated rooms temperature will fall, causing the furnace or heat pump to run more often. If all the vents were to remain open, the distribution of air will be closer to its designed equilibrium and eliminate this effect.

Reduce the growth of mold 

Water drops on a glass window

By closing off vents, the air circulation is reduced. Especially in regions with higher humidity, this will increase the chances of mold and mildew growth. 

Having a lower surface temperature in colder rooms increases condensation, creating a moisture problem. This leads to an environment ideal for mold and mildew growth. Leaving the vents open will keep everything drier, reducing the likelihood of any mold growth! 

Energy saving options that work

money sign lightbulb energy savings

Space Heaters: In a scenario where you do not need to heat the entire home, a space heater is a great solution. It allows you to turn down your thermostat and focus heating to a specific room or area. 

Smart Thermostat: Smart Thermostats are an excellent way to reduce heating and cooling costs. With a smart thermostat, they can sync through your Wi-Fi to be controlled by your phone! This allows easy temperature monitoring and geofencing, which allows the thermostat to sense when you aren't home to keep the temperatures down. Lastly, it is easy to set schedules or use room sensors with a smart thermostat, further increasing efficiency. With a thermostat like Google Nest, you could potentially save up to 10% on your heating and cooling costs! 

Scheduling a Service Visit: Having one of our service technicians out to your home for annual maintenance is the best way to ensure your system is operating at its best ability.  An HVAC system that is maintained more often will have a longer life and operate more efficiently! ECI offers multiple service contracts so you may find what is best for you! 

Contact ECI Comfort


ECI Comfort specializes in energy efficient heating and cooling solutions! Reach us at (215) 245-3200 or by email at info@ecicomfort.com!

This entry was posted in Save Energy, Learning

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