Test Your AC Knowledge: Does Closing Air Vents Save Money?
As you likely know, the standard central air conditioning system in a typical home distributes conditioned air through ducts and into the various rooms of your home. The air is dispersed through vents in your walls, which are covered by grills which have shutters behind them that can be moved to direct airflow.
Though directing airflow is the main purpose of these flexible shutters, many homeowners assume that because they can shut the vents all the way, this is a good way to close off their air conditioning to rooms that are not in use, and thus save money. However, this is actually not the case. In fact, closing up vents in your household or doing anything to obstruct them can actually cause more harm than good to your system.
But What’s the Problem?
When you close off vents in your home, you may be preventing a particular room from receiving air, but that doesn’t mean less air is being produced. What this means is that your AC system is still functioning at its same power level, as is the blower fan, no matter how many vents are opened or closed.
Basically, while cold air can’t reach the room as effectively through a closed vent, the blockage will cause an increase in air pressure within your air ducts. This can eventually cause leaks and cracks in the ductwork, and it forces your air conditioner to work harder than it should have to. The more vents you close, the more pressure and stress you put your air conditioner through.
So, What’s the Solution?
We’re glad you asked! We absolutely understand the desire to reduce how much energy your air conditioner is outputting. But the appropriate method is not to close off the vents, though it’s easy to see why this would be the natural assumption. Instead, the answer is having a zone control system installed.
A zoned cooling system is comprised of dampers that are set into your ventilation system, closing off sections and communicating through local thermostats to a central thermostat that will reduce energy output from your AC. Whether you live in a large house or have rooms that are infrequently occupied (such as a formal dining room or a guest room), zone control cooling is the best way to reduce your air conditioning costs effectively and efficiently.
To learn more about Blackfoot, ID zone control systems and how they can benefit your home, contact Advanced Home Services today. We raise the standards for providing great service!
