The struggle to figure out different ways to save money on energy bills is a creative exercise all its own. At the end of the day, we’re still presented with two choices: either suck it up and deal with the higher bills while still using the central AC and heating all the time – or do what we can to find alternative methods of comfort.
Oftentimes, the second option means we do some pretty outrageous things. For instance, you could try and stay cool by shutting off the AC and sitting with your feet in a bucket of ice water – and it may work – but is that really worth the few extra bucks? Not likely.
One piece of “advice” you may have encountered is someone telling you to shut your air vents in order to save money. However, that can actually be more harmful than helpful, and Freedom Air & Heat will explain why!
It Builds Up Pressure
The common misconception is that shutting vents reroutes the air that would be flowing through them into other openings, meaning you wouldn’t be heating or cooling a room that didn’t need it. However, that’s not the case.
When you shut vents, the air doesn’t just pick a different route. The airflow cycle in your ducts is carefully planned ahead of time, so that air just gets backed up instead of going somewhere else. That stoppage hurts your HVAC unit, leading to lower efficiency and disruptive temperatures elsewhere as the air leaks through ducts and other openings.
Your Home Isn’t Designed Like That
As we mentioned in the last point, when your home was built, the air system was designed and installed to provide comfort to your exact layout. It was created to properly heat and cool your exact square footage, and limiting that can end up causing a disruption to your precise airflow circulation rather than adding anything beneficial.
It Lengthens the Heat Exchange Process
Again, the only things that happen when you close your vents are negative. Rooms have cold air returns in addition to vents, and they’re just part of the delicate circulation cycle that happens constantly. Your home needs all of these openings clear and operational to maintain the exchange of hot and cold air, and when that is stunted, the effects are noticeable.
So, What to Do?
Okay, so closing your vents won’t work. Instead of saving you money, it can actually end up causing damage to your HVAC system in addition to spiking your energy bills. Now that we’ve established that, what are your options to increasing the efficiency of your heating and cooling system?
If you were already considering shutting vents in a room because you didn’t plan on using it, then it might be better to simply have the ducts leading to that room sealed off instead. That will reshape your circulation system and keep you from harming your home’s airflow.
Freedom Air & Heat is your trusted HVAC service provider – whether it’s alterations, repairs or installations, we’ll handle it. Give us a call at 321-631-6886 for the most reliable service in Cocoa!
