Can You Save Money by Closing Vents in Unused Rooms?

Since the dawn of time — or at least since the dawn of heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems — man has had a simple question: “How can I save money on my bill?” There are many ideas as to how you can do this. One of these ideas sounds straightforward: Close off the vents in the rooms you’re not using to save money. Will this actually save some cash, or is it a terrible idea? Littleton Heating and Air Conditioning did the research to discover the answer!

Busting the Myth

Hope you don’t mind ripping the Band-Aid off right away; closing off your vents isn’t going to save money. And this is actually a bad idea for several different reasons. First, the HVAC is still pushing air when the vents are closed, and the pushed air is going to other parts of your home. Second, that leads to wasted energy that may be driving bills up instead of down. Finally, it can also lead to things like leaks in your HVAC system.

Under Pressure

One of the biggest consequences of closing the vents is that it increases the pressure your HVAC system is putting out. And that can lead to a number of negative consequences for your home and your HVAC system.

First, this increased pressure is the primary cause of the leaks mentioned earlier. Second, the air being moved around will be less conditioned and ultimately less comfortable. Third, the more vents that are closed, the higher the pressure goes. Finally, closing off vents may also cause damage to the compressor.

Unintended Consequences

Those were just a few reasons why it’s bad to close off vents. Here are a few more of the unintended consequences of doing so. First, it makes air flow worse. Second, it can freeze the air conditioning coil. Third, it can lead to cracks in the heat exchanger. Finally, it may cause the growth of dangerous mold.

Final thoughts

Littleton Heating and Air Conditioning has always helped the Littleton, Colorado, area with its HVAC needs. If you need help with any more HVAC myths, just contact our company today.