You may think that closing the air vents in certain areas of the home saves you money. After all, those rooms are mostly unoccupied, and the air can circulate into the more commonly used rooms that need it. In most cases, however, that’s not true. In fact, closing vents can actually cause problems with your HVAC system. Here’s a closer look at why this is the case.

Why All Your Home’s Air Vents Should Be Open

1. HVAC System Damage

Picture how an HVAC system generally works for a moment. A blower pulls air from the house through return ducts, filters it, then releases the air back into the house through supply ducts at the desired temperature.

When you close one or more air vents around your house, you shut down some of those pathways. That means your system has to push the same amount of air through the ducts but with less room to do it. This reduction of space increases the pressure in your ducts, which may cause your blower to shut down when it can’t handle the extra work.

2. Leaky or Burst Ducts

Increased pressure in air ducts can also take a toll on the ducts themselves. Ducts typically have minuscule leaks due to holes or poor connections. Up to 30% of moving air can be lost this way, making your energy bill climb.

Extra pressure from closed air vents can cause more leaks or worsen existing ones. In addition to having your ductwork periodically checked, keeping vents open mitigates this energy loss.

3. Less Efficient Heating or Cooling

Your HVAC system was meticulously designed to heat or cool your home. Closing certain air vents doesn’t ease its workload, nor does it save money on your utility bill. Your HVAC system will actually have to work harder to distribute the air through a new system of closed air vents, with the aforementioned increased air pressure in the ducts to boot.

If you have more questions about optimal airflow and caring for your HVAC system, talk to Anderson Automatic Heating & Cooling. This licensed and bonded team of HVAC experts has been serving the Cincinnati, OH, area since 1929. They provide a range of services, including duct cleaning, repairs, installations, and air quality inspections. Call (513) 574-0005 to schedule an appointment or contact them online to learn more about the team.