Can You Lower Energy Costs by Closing Registers?
The registers in your home allow cooled and warmed air to flow into rooms. For many homeowners, it seems quite intuitive that if they close those vents, less conditioned air will be used and thus required. The goal here is to reduce energy usage and thus costs, but unfortunately, that isn’t usually how it works.
Why Is Closing Vents a Bad Idea?
BELOMAN has provided heating and cooling services to Belleville and beyond for more than six decades. We’ve had many clients consider closing specific vents, and we usually have to advise against it. Most systems are designed to operate within the context of a particular resistance. When you close a vent, that changes the pressure within the system, which makes the system work harder and thus less efficient rather than more efficient.
What Problems Will It Cause?
You can expect your HVAC system to operate a little less efficiently at least. That means that your energy costs may go up and your home may not be warmed or cooled as evenly. The system may be subject to unnecessary wear and tear, which can quicken the time frame for maintenance, repairs, and end of life. There are also serious problems that aren’t necessarily likely due to closing a single vent but can occur, such as compressor failure, heat exchange faults and so forth.
Are There Exceptions?
Yes. Although not commonplace yet, there are high-efficiency systems on the market that use electronically commutated motors, or ECM. An ECM is able to adjust its speed based on the current state of the system, so if you close a vent and the pressure increases, the system can detect that and adjust the motor accordingly. This is necessary in multi-zone systems, for instance.
Lower Your Energy Costs
At BELOMAN, we take great pride in helping our customers be as efficient as possible. In addition to heating and cooling, we offer plumbing services, pest control and indoor air quality solutions. Call us today to learn more about how we can assist you.
