Closing Off Air Conditioner Vents

The study also found that whatever benefit was derived from closing air vents was largely offset by increased duct leakage.

Closing off air conditioner vents.

As it turns out closing air vents in a home with a modern central heating and air conditioning system does little to save energy. Air conditioner s evaporator coil the part that cools the air. Furnace s heat exchanger the part that heats the air. Yes your system may be fine if you close a register or two in your home but the results will depend on how restrictive and leaky your duct system is.

The belief is that closing a vent will simply push the air onward to other parts of the home improving energy efficiency. Homeowners typically close vents in an attempt to redirect air away from unused spaces. This can increase your energy bills and even lead to premature breakdown of your ac if you close too many vents. Environmental protection agency estimates that most homeowners lose 20 percent.

Your air ducts make it worse. Closing vents disrupts this balance and creates pressure in your system which causes your air conditioner to work harder. In fact it could even cause your energy costs to increase. In addition this increased pressure places strain on your air ducts.

Ask for a recommendation of which vents if any in your home make sense to close without placing stress on. Low airflow causes the coil to get too cold and sometimes turn into a block of. Before closing any vents in your home. Ensure that your ducts are properly sealed and connected.

Why closing air vents doesn t work. In a 2003 study the lawrence berkeley national laboratory discovered that register closing led to increased energy use. To close off a room or an entire section of your home to air conditioning and or heating this is the correct way to do it. Low airflow will cause heat exchanger to.