When vents are closed, that pressure builds up, potentially causing damage to the HVAC system. Increased air pressure can create cracks and holes in the ductwork. It can also cause your furnace's heat exchanger to crack. Leave all air vents open to prevent extensive damage to your home's heating system this winter.
If the first floor of your home is colder in the winter months, keep the dampers on the first-floor vents fully open and only partially open the vents on the second floor to force more of the warm air to enter the first-floor areas.
Closed air vents increase heating costs
Actually, the opposite is true. Those rooms with closed vents will become colder than the rest of the house, forcing your furnace or heat pump to use more energy to try and maintain a consistent temperature. Leave your heating vents open to lower your heating bills this winter.
Open All the Air Vents in Your Home
By opening the vents, you will reduce pressure buildup, heat buildup, and an imbalanced circulation of air. You may also want to have your air ducts or furnace cleaned to ensure that the air is flowing properly through your home.
To maximize the efficiency of your HVAC system as well as your comfort, don't close off unused rooms. Let the air flow through your home like it's designed to.
If your home is vacant, you need to find the right middle ground on the thermostat. If it's too cold, you increase the freeze risk. If you keep it too warm, you risk wasting money and energy. As a general rule of thumb, leave the heat on and set your thermostat between 55 and 60 degrees.
In the winter months, about 5 minutes is enough to provide our rooms with the right amount of fresh air. Avoid draughts. While in summer this practice brings positive results, in winter it can lead to excessive cooling of the walls and floor. Before opening the window, lower the heating temperature.
A popular method that many homeowners utilize to save money and energy is to close vents in winter in rooms that aren't often occupied. While this sounds like a good idea, in theory, it can increase your energy consumption and cause significant damage to your HVAC system and ductwork.
It is typically best to always leave your air vents open, even in unoccupied rooms. It may sound counter-intuitive, but leaving vents open will use less energy, extend the life of your HVAC unit and save you more money in the long run.
This is the last thing you expect to happen when you close off too many vents. Unfortunately, there isn't the correct amount of airflow and this can cause the coils to freeze and cause damage to the unit's compressor. This typically results in repairing or replacing it before the unit can run efficiently once again.
It's ok for your attic to be cold in the winter because the roof vents are open. An attic with good air sealing will not cause your home to become colder or expend additional energy for heating.
When To Close the Vents. If summer is the right time to open your crawl space vents, winter is the perfect time to close them. Colder weather results in drier air. Dry air and freezing temperatures are the biggest risks for crawl spaces due to the likelihood of freezing pipes.
Harms Energy Efficiency
Unlike the myth states, closing vents increases energy consumption and costs. The air conditioning system doesn't know when you close your vents, which can cause the heating system to overwork to heat the space it is designed for.
Closing the vents decreases the return airflow, which can cause the heat exchanger to overheat, damaging this expensive component of your HVAC system. You don't want to operate a defective heat exchanger because it can cause carbon monoxide to seep from your system.
During the winter months, you should open your house at least once a day, no matter how bitterly cold it is outside. It doesn't have to be for long, opening a window or door for even just a few minutes will create a cross-draught. The old, damp air will exit your home and fresh air will return.
Improper insulation might make one room colder or hotter than the rest because it's letting the air out of the room. If you have any windows in your home that are open, go ahead and shut them. They're letting the cooled/heated air out and letting in the outside air.
Remember, despite it being counter-intuitive, it's best to let your heater warm up your basement, attic or spare room, even if you don't use them much. Another great way to keep your home warm and efficient, in addition to implementing energy efficiency improvements, is to properly maintain your home's heating system.
When Should I Open and Close My HVAC Dampers? In most houses, dampers on the upper level are opened in the summer and shut in the winter. In the winter, closing the dampers to the upstairs allows for heat to rise naturally as it is distributed throughout the home.
Intermittent ventilation
Open your windows or doors as wide as they will go to maximise the amount of air that can be exchanged. Doing this for around 10 minutes twice a day will be enough for most rooms.
It's recommended that you keep your home above 55°F/16°C in the winter. This is generally warm enough to prevent water from freezing inside of pipes. Also, maintaining this temperature shouldn't drill a hole in your pocket unless you live in a frigid province or face a brutal winter.
Empty rooms are always colder
It may seem a bit odd, but it's a simple climatic principle. Air heats and cools faster than objects, but it doesn't retain the temperature. Furniture, curtains, clothes, and decorations absorb heat and then re-radiate it into the air, making it warmer.
There Are Dangerous Long-Term Effects On Your System
The pressure built up within your system due to closed vents can also result in long-term damage to your system. Leaks can be caused or made worse inside your HVAC system ducts, which can greatly impact the efficiency of your system.
Closing crawl space vents in the winter is a good idea, especially if you have plumbing or air ducts in the crawl space. Unfortunately, just closing or covering crawl space vents for the winter isn't the cure-all for cold floors, frozen pipes, and pests.