Why Closing Furnace Vents Can Be Harmful
If you’ve ever made an effort to save money on your heating bills, you may have considered closing the vents in rooms or spaces not being used by anyone. While this tactic was very effective in the era when fireplaces and floor furnaces were commonly used, doing this with a central heating system can actually cost you money, not save it. Since central heating systems are designed to heat a specific amount of space, closing furnace vents can have adverse effects.
Malfunctioning HVAC Systems
Modern heating systems rely on consistent air flow to run properly. When you cut off air by closing furnace vents, less cooler air runs through the burner chamber, causing the thermal limit switch to be triggered. Thermal switches are designed to stop the burners from operating when excessive heat is in the system. This is crucial for preventing things like heat exchanger cracks and other damages. When the switch is activated prematurely, your furnace won’t have the opportunity to fully heat your home.
Damage to Your Home
The idea of closing furnace vents is to keep hot air from entering certain areas, but interior walls and doors are not designed to insulate. Hot air in one room can easily infiltrate another through cracks in the doorway and through interior walls that have no insulation. This movement of air can cause serious stress to to nails and screws that hold up drywall and door.
The greater the temperature variance between rooms, the more damage can be caused to the interior structure of your home. If you have a quality whole house humidifier, rooms cutoff from your furnace can also see damage to wood and other components affected by water vapor. The best way to maximize efficiency of your furnace is to let it do what it was designed to do.
At Sobieski Services, Inc., our goal is to help our customers in Delaware, Pennsylvania, Maryland and New Jersey learn more about energy and home comfort issues – especially HVAC and plumbing issues – so that they can save money and live in healthier, more comfortable homes.
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