Keep Furnace Vents Open
Have you ever wondered if closing vents in rooms that are not being used often in your home is a good idea for energy efficiency? It sounds like a good idea, however studies have shown that closing vents actually wastes energy. At Patterson Heating and Air Conditioning, we want your HVAC in Charlotte, NC to be energy efficient and working at optimal capacity. There are a few reasons why vents should not be closed, as cited in Angie’s List:
“Because the rooms in your home have cold-air returns as well as heating vents, shutting the vents doesn’t prevent air movement. Just like closing doors to prevent air flow, it interferes with your home’s energy efficiency. It creates pressure in the closed-off room, which causes the return duct to pull in cold air from any cracks in windows or doors. In addition, the warm air still trying to push up through closed vents will start to leak out any ducts that aren’t sealed properly, or it will be forced back down into your basement or into floor cavities. So, you’ll still be paying energy costs for heat, just in places you can’t use.
It’s also possible to damage your furnace by closing too many air vents. Newer, high efficiency models are designed to operate with your specific square footage in mind and with fans running at full speed. Closing off vents creates unexpected blockages, which forces the furnace to work harder when distributing heated air. It’s also possible that limited air flow, especially in winter, may cause freezing in your ducts, meaning more work for your heating and air conditioning system. So this not only lowers the energy efficiency of your heater, but shortens its life.”
There is still the option of closing off ducts to a room that is no longer in use, and our certified HVAC technicians in Charlotte can seal a room and adjust the furnace to make that possible. There are other sensible ways to increase the efficiency of your home:
“You can improve the efficiency of your heating system in several ways, starting with a furnace upgrade. Older models operate in the 55 percent to 70 percent range of energy efficiency, whereas newer models push 95 percent or even 98 percent. Though there’s significant cost to install a new furnace, a more efficient unit can reduce money spent on energy bills.”
For large and small HVAC repairs in Charlotte, NC, our trained technicians are experts at diagnosing problems and repairing them efficiently. If you need a new HVAC system or you would like to upgrade to a higher efficiency model, we provide full installation services with satisfaction guaranteed. Annual furnace inspections and maintenance will extend the life of your HVAC system, so you can enjoy comfortable, energy efficient heat in your home or business. Instead of closing vents for increased efficiency, call Patterson Heating and Air at (704) 288-4535 for an annual furnace inspection and tune up or a new HVAC system installation in Charlotte.
