Avoid Closing HVAC System Registers

We know you are all about saving money and we share cost-saving measures concerning your HVAC system frequently. If you have considered closing off unused rooms to air conditioning, it will not save the money you anticipate saving. This is why:

• Your HVAC system is customized for your home. A technician inspected your home, considered square footage, windows, doors, insulation, etc., and made a calculation to keep your home comfortable in both summer and winter. The heating, cooling, and ductwork are finely tuned to your home. Reducing the square footage forces the system on and off erratically and reduces the efficiency built into the system.
• The system does not recognize which registers are opened or closed, so it continues to produce the same volume of air until the thermostat registers the proper temperature. This consumes the same amount of energy; no energy savings results.
• If registers are closed, the air in closed-off spaces is not filtered along with the air in the rest of the house. Expect the air to grow stale and be more humid in that space. This can result in moisture damage and produce mold.
• If registers are closed, the supply air coming from the blower is being forced into available space, creating a pressure imbalance. Even though the doors are shut and the registers closed, air will still be forced into the closed-off room and that stale, humid and hot air will be forced out. This is equivalent to keeping a small window open. It is better to let air circulate, be cooled, and dehumidified along with the rest of the air in your home.
• If registers are closed, except the rooms and halls near those spaces to be warmer/cooler than the rest of the house. The disrupted airflow pushes excess air into these spaces nearby.
• Closed registers increase pressure, both in the ductwork and the blower components. Pressure can create gaps and leaks. Leaks in the air delivery system will reduce the overall efficiency of your system and cost you money.

Closing registers seems like a no-brainer way to save money, but it puts stress on the entire HVAC system and does not save the money you expect. Stay tuned to Northwind and we will share tried and true methods to save money with your HVAC system.

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