Shy Away From Closing Heating Vents

December 11, 2015

During the winter closing heating vents in the unused rooms of a home is a common practice. Many homeowners seem to believe that doing so will save them money. Although, this was a common practice used in the past, today it’s a different story.

In the past the practice was used in homes because they were heated from a central location, such as a fireplace.

Central heating and air conditioning is now the standard used in today’s homes. In the case of a central heating and air conditioning system, closing off vents has the same effect as a dirty air filter. It simply restricts airflow. Today, heating systems are designed to heat the whole home and are sized accordingly.

• Closing vents shuts off a section of airflow.
• Shutting off a section of airflow increases the air pressure in the system, in turn increasing the amount of ductwork leakage.

Your heating system relies on a set amount of airflow to maintain a temperature. If you reduce the airflow in your heating system this can cause burners to shut down. The burners shut down to prevent overheating and possible damage to your system.

If your heating system gets to this point it will no longer produce heat.

The fundamental problem with closing off vents is that it changes the airflow that comes out in different locations. It doesn’t change what your heating and cooling system is trying to do, (trying to move or produce heat).

A more energy efficient way to control individual temperatures in unused rooms is by using a ductless heating and cooling mini split system. A ductless heating and cooling mini split system allows you to not heat or cool unused rooms while keeping your used rooms at the perfect temperature.

Ductless heating and cooling mini split systems are mounted on the wall and wired using a simple wiring process to an outdoor unit. No ducts are used so installation doesn’t take much time at all. Ductless heating and cooling mini split systems are a flexible solution.

To improve the overall energy efficiency in your home follow these tips:

• Have a professional heating contractor inspect your ductwork to see if it is properly sealed. Duct leaks could be raising your energy bill.
• Have your furnace inspected annually.
• Look into replacing your furnace with a more energy efficient model. We can help you decide what is best for your home.

If you’re interested in learning more about heating and cooling energy efficiency in your New Jersey home, contact the professionals at A.J.Perri.