Can You Save Money By Closing Vents in Unused Rooms?

January 18, 2019

With the rising cost of heating fuel and electricity, you might be thinking of ways to lower your monthly bills. If you have a forced hot air heating system in your Dayton, OH, home, closing one of the vents in a storage space or unused guest room might be at the top of the list. Let’s find out if that is actually an effective means of saving money. The Short Answer Is No Your forced air heating and air conditioning system is installed, balanced and tested with all the vents open. When you close a vent in a room, it will either cause the blower in the basement to circulate less air because it detects added pressure in the line or it tries to push through more air to overcome the blockage it senses in the ducts. One way results in less heat circulating through the house, which means your furnace works harder to keep you comfortable. The other way uses more electricity and damages equipment, resulting in higher utility bills and repairs. Closed Vents Can Cause Damage If your blower increases pressure to push past the closed vent, it can rupture ducting. Constantly calling for heat or cooling can...

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Should I Turn My AC Off While On Vacation?

July 11, 2018

Turning off your AC while you are away may seem like the economic thing to do but that is not always the case. Cooling your home to the comfortable temperature is wasteful and unnecessary. If you are going on vacation, you should set the AC to a higher temperature than you usually do. You can use a programmable thermostat to set the desired temperatures at different times. Another way to increase efficiency and reduce the strain on your air conditioner is by keeping all curtains closed. Factors That Determine Whether to Switch Off Your AC While on Vacation Weather Check the forecast for the weather during the period you will be away. If the temperatures are expected to be moderate, it is wise to turn the AC completely off. If, however, temperatures are expected to be very high, then you need to leave it on. Air conditioners facilitate the circulation of air and removal of humidity in your home. If you switch off your AC and the humidity gets too high, it may lead to structural damages to your home including the growth of mold, swelling doors, peeling paint, cracking plaster, and buckling of wooden floors. If the temperatures get...

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