As a homeowner, you’ve heard conflicting advice about energy-saving practices, like whether or not to leave the doors open to infrequently-used rooms. You may have heard that shutting interior doors can reduce your HVAC equipment’s workload and energy consumption, but is this true?

The Questionable “Logic” Behind Closing Some Doors

Some say that shutting the doors to unoccupied rooms prevents the waste of conditioned air where it’s not really needed. Others will tell you that with the doors shut, your HVAC system will operate more efficiently because there’s less square footage that needs heating or cooling.

The Real Effect of Closed Doors on Your HVAC

The truth is that shutting some interior doors when running your HVAC system can make the equipment work harder, increase its energy consumption, and erode your home’s air quality. The reasons for these adverse effects are based on sound logic:

• Conditioned air that’s sent to a closed-off room gets trapped inside, so it can’t get pulled back into your HVAC system through the nearest return air vent. This results in higher air pressure inside the room, so the conditioned air inside gets forced out through any small gaps and cracks into adjacent unfinished areas.
• Whenever your HVAC equipment cycles off, the opposite happens and the air pressure drops. When this occurs, air is drawn into the room from any adjacent unconditioned areas through those gaps and cracks. Allergens and other undesirable particles get pulled in too, which can negatively affect your air quality.
• When there’s a system pressure imbalance due to closed interior doors, it puts extra strain and wear on your HVAC components, which can result in higher energy bills and a greater risk of equipment breakdowns or failures.

Why Leaving Your Doors Open is Wiser

The best advice on what to do with your interior doors is to leave them open whenever your HVAC system is operating to avoid airflow restrictions and pressurization problems, and keep everything working reliably and efficiently.

For more advice about issues like opening or shutting interior doors, contact your Peachtree City HVAC pros today at Powers Heating & Air.