Which vents to open in winter

Five Minute Finances is a series of tips on how you can save significant money or reorganize your financial life in just five minutes. This is a tip that my parents discovered the hard way after I moved out, and it simply works. When I first moved out, my parents stopped heating the upstairs of the house because there was no one using the bedrooms upstairs.

They simply went upstairs and closed up all of the vents without thinking too much about it. It makes sense, right? It turns out that their gas usage in the furnace was higher than two winters previous, even though the outside temperature was warmer.

How is that possible? In the summer you want the cold air to remain and the hot air to be drawn out through the return registers. By closing the floor registers and opening the ceiling registers you force the hot air out while keeping the cold air in the room. By adjusting your return registers, you can optimize the airflow throughout your home to keep temperatures comfortable for you and your family.

These adjustments also work to reduce energy costs, as well as your energy footprint. We can help you. Our well-trained team can show you how to do it and set you up for the next season. Need service now? What is a Return Register? Just a few of the benefits of undertaking this task include: Saving money on your heating and cooling bills : More efficient registers that cool and heat the room will reduce your energy bills. Turning it into a habit : When you make sure to adjust your registers every winter and summer, you set up a system you can continue to use to ensure you save money in the long term.

Consider attaching your adjustment period to something on the calendar, such as Thanksgiving and Memorial Day. Alerting you when your HVAC system needs attention : If you follow these tips and adjust your vents regularly, but you stop seeing a change in your energy efficiency, then it may be time for a technician to inspect your HVAC system.

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.

HVAC zoning allows for individual temperature and humidity controls for different areas, or zones, of the home. This is achieved without closing vents and increasing air pressure. Closing air vents raises energy costs in Charlotte, NC This may seem counterintuitive.