Do Closed Doors Reduce Heating and Air Conditioning Costs? 5 Pro Tips and Tricks

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(Newswire.net — October 5, 2020) — We all want to find ways to cut down on heating and cooling costs throughout the year. Unfortunately, some of the things we do day-to-day could actually be costing us a lot of extra money by preventing our heating and cooling systems from working properly. That’s why we’re here to break down a few myths about keeping doors closed to reduce heating and air conditioning costs. 

Do Closed Doors Really Reduce Heating and Air Conditioning Costs?

The simple answer is no. Closing interior doors in your house causes a pressurization problem that forces your air conditioner to work harder at its job. When air is trapped inside a room, your air conditioner still has to move it somehow, which means it will try to suck air through windows, under cracks of doors, and from anywhere else it can. This means added costs for you and potentially damage to your HVAC system due to the added wear and tear. 

So, if keeping doors closed doesn’t help reduce your bills, what should you be doing instead? Here are five tips from the pros on how to keep your heating and air conditioning costs down this year: 

Open Things Up

It may seem like common sense to close vents and doors in rooms that you aren’t using, thereby preventing your HVAC system from working in that room. Unfortunately, the opposite is true. A local business owner from Hall Heating and Air Conditioning says, Your HVAC system is designed to move air through the entire house. When you close off a single room or block the vents, you actually interrupt the house’s natural airflow and cause your system to work harder. 

Make Sure Vents are Clear

In addition to keeping interior doors open to facilitate the movement of air, you should also take steps to ensure that your vents are clear. Make a habit of inspecting your vents for debris and vacuuming them out seasonally to prevent buildup that might be causing pressure to get trapped in your HVAC system. Whenever pressure builds up, the air has to find an alternate route to escape, and that usually means creating leaks. 

Check Your Filters

Having a clogged filter is just as bad as keeping all your doors closed. It prevents your HVAC system from cycling the air inside the home, which means getting fresh air from somewhere else. In many cases, this means that your HVAC system creates negative pressure around your fireplaces, windows, and exterior doors, sucking in air from outside instead of using the air inside. This just means more work for your system and more money on your bill. 

It is also worthwhile to remember that your HVAC system does more than just heat and cool. It also helps improve your air quality by filtering and recycling the air inside. If your air can’t move through the filters, it could be full of dust, dander and other allergens that affect your health.

Seal Your Windows and Exterior Doors

Your house will never be perfectly sealed, but you can take steps to reduce the amount of air getting pulled in from outside. An HVAC system is supposed to recycle the air inside, keeping it all at about the same temperature. Whenever outside air is drawn in, it affects the overall temperature and keeps your system running longer. Check the seals around your windows for drafts, and look for weather-stripping or door guards to cover any gaps in exterior doors. 

Invest in a Smart Thermostat

Instead of closing off parts of your house, one of the best things you can do to reduce your power bills is to invest in a smart thermostat and set up a heating and cooling schedule. This will allow your system to monitor itself and adjust the temperature up or down by a few degrees when you are away. This is a much more cost-effective way of bringing your power bill down, and it puts less strain on your HVAC system year after year. Many smart thermostats are very affordable these days, and some of them can even be managed via an app on your phone so you can make adjustments from anywhere. 

Instead of closing doors and blocking off vents, use these five tips to help your heating and air conditioning system work more efficiently. Regular maintenance and cleaning can go a long way toward keeping your power bills down year-round.