Temperatures are on the rise and you may be looking for ways to cut down on cooling costs. Closing doors and vents to rooms that are not being used is not one of them. Doing so forces your HVAC to work harder! Here's why:
Ventilation is Key
Even though you can't feel it, the air in your home is constantly moving. When you close a door or vent, you block the path for air to efficiently move throughout your home, raising your energy consumption and lowering the overall efficiency.
Your HVAC is designed to draw air out of your home at the same rate that it sends air back in, this allows the total amount of air to stay the same. Your HVAC still pumps air into the room through the register whether the vent or door is opened or closed.
However, when you close a vent or door, the air is trapped and cannot travel back to the intake vent. The rooms become pressurized and it starts pushing air through small openings, causing leaks.
Improving Energy Efficiency the Right Way
Now that we have established that closing doors is not energy efficient and can be somewhat dangerous, here are some safe ways to improve energy efficiency:
1.Turn off your cooling system at night and open your windows.
2.Shut windows and blinds/curtains during the day to keep cool air inside.
3.Install window coverings to prevent heat gain.
4.Operating your thermostat efficiently.
5.Using a ceiling fan while using an air conditioner, which raises the thermostat setting about 4 degrees with no reduction in comfort.
5.Scheduling regular maintenance.
We have multiple solutions to solve energy-efficiency problems in your home, call 72
Degrees Comfort Company at 515-965-7272 or email us at office@72degrees.com.