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Here in the Pacific Northwest, winter heating costs can add up quickly. Many people try to close vents in their heating system in unused rooms, hoping it will save them money. Actually, this practice will not save money and can lead to expensive repairs if one closes too many vents. The same is true if you have a ducted air conditioning system.

Why Closing Vents to Unused Rooms Does Not Save Money

HVAC systems work using optimal air pressure. Closing off some air ducts creates a higher than normal air pressure throughout your HVAC system. This causes the system to strain due to abnormal air pressure. Your heating (or air conditioning) system will not use less energy. It will still be trying to send the same heat or cool air through the system as it was designed.

So, if you close some of the vents in the system, you are just creating abnormally high air pressure. This will not get the system to decrease its throughput. Thus, you will still be paying the same amount of money every time you pay your energy bill.

How Closing Too Many Vents Can Harm Your HVAC System

Even worse is the fact that closing vents in rooms you are not using can make your HVAC system do some things that can harm itself as it tries to compensate for the higher air pressure that is in the system.

The most common type of blower in HVAC systems is a PSC blower. When this type of blower detects that the system has too much air pressure, it decreases its output of air. Less air blowing over your heat exchanger can overheat or even crack it.

If you have an air conditioner, lower blower output can make your evaporator cooling coil ice up. That, in turn, can damage your compressor.

Closing vents in your HVAC system will not save any money. In fact, it might be the cause of an expensive repair bill because of the abnormally high air pressure in your comfort system.

Contact the Heating Professionals

If you have any questions about your HVAC system, call Jco Heating A/C Electrical. We are your local Eugene and greater Lane County HVAC specialists. We have been serving the area since 2002 from our headquarters in Springfield, Oregon. We are a family-owned business that takes pride in our high-quality service and our long-lasting relationships with our customers.

We do heating and cooling service, maintenance, and repair as well as installations. Our technicians are trained to work on all of the major brands, and we repair every type of home comfort equipment. We even install ductless heat pump systems.

Regardless of the comfort system you have in your home, call us today for your annual comfort system maintenance or call with any of your HVAC servicing, maintenance, or installation needs or questions.